The World Cup competitions over the years have seen the best of the bowlers playing at their peak and making heads turn from all over the world. These bowlers have produced some amazing spells by being the best bowling figures which have turned the matches in their favour.
Here is the list of bowlers with best bowling figures in ICC World Cup:
| Year | Player | Overs | Wickets | Runs | Maidens | Economy | Team | Opposition |
| 2003 | Glenn McGrath | 7 | 7 | 15 | 4 | 2.14 | Australia | Namibia |
| 2003 | Andy Bichel | 10 | 7 | 20 | 0 | 2 | Australia | England |
| 2015 | Tim Southee | 9 | 7 | 33 | 0 | 3.66 | New Zealand | England |
| 1983 | Winston Davis | 10.3 | 7 | 51 | 0 | 4.85 | West Indies | Australia |
| 1975 | Gary Gilmour | 12 | 6 | 14 | 6 | 1.16 | Australia | England |
| 2003 | Ashish Nehra | 10 | 6 | 23 | 2 | 2.3 | India | England |
| 2003 | Shane Bond | 10 | 6 | 23 | 2 | 2.3 | New Zealand | England |
| 2003 | Chaminda Vaas | 9.1 | 6 | 25 | 2 | 2.72 | Sri Lanka | Bangladesh |
| 2011 | Kemar Roach | 8.3 | 6 | 27 | 0 | 3.17 | West Indies | Netherlands |
| 2015 | Mitchell Starc | 9 | 6 | 28 | 0 | 3.11 | Australia | New Zealand |
| 2019 | Shaheen Afridi | 9.1 | 6 | 35 | 0 | 3.8 | Pakistan | Bangladesh |
| 2011 | SL Malinga | 7.4 | 6 | 38 | 0 | 4.95 | Sri Lanka | Kenya |
| 1983 | Ken MacLeay | 11.5 | 6 | 39 | 3 | 3.29 | Australia | India |
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Australian pacer Glenn McGrath, who is the highest wicket-taker in World Cups, also has the best bowling figures in World Cup match. He picked up 7/15 in his 7 overs against a weak Namibian side during the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. His fellow Aussie pacer Andy Bichel also has the highest bowling figures by taking 7 wickets in an innings in the same tournament. He dismantled the England bowling attack with figures of 7/20 in his quota of 10 overs.
New Zealand’s Tim Southee and West Indian Winston Davis are the other bowlers to take 7 wickets in an innings in the World Cup competition. Southee took 7/33 against England in the 2015 World Cup, in Australia that provided swinging conditions. Davis is the only bowler to take 7 wickets in an innings in a 60-over World Cup game. He did it in the 1983 World Cup against a strong Australian side, as he took 7/51 in 10.3 overs.
Apart from these four, nine more bowlers have picked 6 wickets in an innings. Interestingly, none of the bowlers in this list are spinners.
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