Top 10 ODI fast bowlers from 2010-2018

Since the inception of ODI cricket in 1971, every decade has witnessed quality fast bowlers who became the trump cards of their team’s bowling arsenal. Over the years, world class fast bowlers have been the strike weapon for their teams and won matches with their magical bowling spells.

In the late 70s and 80s, the pace battery of the mighty Windies sent down shivers in opposition batting line-ups. In the 90s, the likes of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Allan Donald, Glen McGrath, Shaun Pollock, Brett Lee and Chaminda Vaas made life difficult for stroke makers with their menacing pace and seam movement.

The last decade has also seen some quality seamers who became the backbone of their team’s seam attack and spearheaded the bowling attack as outright strike bowlers in the limited overs arena. While some mastered the art of swinging the ball, others tormented batsmen with their pace and bounce.

So let us have a look at the top 10 fast bowlers in one day cricket from 2010-2018

Note: Only Those fast bowlers who regularly played for their teams and consistently picked up wickets have been considered in the list. Besides wicket taking ability, bowling average and economy rate have been taken into account to get a full measure of the bowler’s pedigree.

Before we go through the bowlers who made the cut, a look at some notable mentions who have been successful seamers for their countries in the ODI arena.

Honourable Mentions

Australia - Clint McKay

South Africa - Lonwabo Tsotsobe

New Zealand - Matt Henry, Mitchell McClenaghan

India - Mohammad Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Pakistan - Wahab Riaz, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Irfan

Sri Lanka - Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Angelo Matthews

West Indies - Jason Holder, Kemar Roach, Dwyane Bravo

England - Chris Woakes, Steven Finn, Stuart Broad

Bangladesh - Mustafizur Rahim, Mashrafe Mortaza

JUST MISSED THE CUT

UMESH YADAV

Umesh Yadav

Umesh Yadav has been India’s pace ace in the limited overs arena. Yadav is genuinely quick and gets through the defences of batsman with his sheer pace. A natural athlete, Yadav has an effortless run up and uses his powerful shoulders to great effect in generating brisk pace.

Umesh can consistently seam the ball away from the batsman. A strike bowler, Yadav has shared the new ball with Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohammad Shami and produced some match winning spells for the 'Men in Blue' in ODIs

ODI Record 2010-2018

Matches 73

Wickets 105

Avg 32.6

Eco 5.97

SR 32.7

10. Tim Southee

Tim Southee

Tim Southee has been one of New Zealand’s most effective seam bowler in the limited over format. Southee can swing the ball both ways to torment the best of batting line-ups. The Kiwi bowler generates brisk pace and can consistently get the ball to move away from right handers.

Over the years, Southee has added a few variations to his kitty to become a skillful bowler at the death. He has been at his menacing best on the seam friendly tracks in New Zealand and England where he uses the swinging conditions to his advantage.

ODI Record 2010-2018

Matches 109

Wickets 146

Avg 33.95

Eco 5.43

SR 37.5

9. Josh Hazelwood

Josh Hazelwood has proved himself to be an effective seamer for Australia in ODI cricket. Hazelwood relies more on his seam movement off the deck. Josh is relentless with his accuracy and pitches the ball consistency in the right areas. He bowls at a decent pace and hits the deck hard to get good bounce off the surface.

The tall and lanky Aussie seamer has consistently produced economical spells for the Australians in ODI cricket. Hazelwood has played perfect foil to the pacy Mitchell Starc and formed a deadly pace duo for the Australians in ODIs.

ODI Record 2010-2018

Matches 28

Wickets 50

Avg 24.60

Eco 4.85

SR 30.3

8. Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada has been South Africa's new pace sensation with a great future in store. The powerfully built Rabada racks up serious pace and can make the ball seam viciously . Rabada is athletically built and uses his height to good advantage in garnering steep bounce from docile tracks.

Rabada has been a wicket taker for the Proteas in limited overs cricket and has produced some exceptional spells to win games for the South Africans

ODI Record 2010-2018

Matches 48

Wickets 75

Avg 27.57

Eco 5.11

SR 32.3

7. Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah has been a revelation of sorts for India in ODIs. Bumrah has been exceptionally effective as a strike bowler, picking up wickets with the new ball and towards the death. Bumrah bowls with an awkward action and is difficult to pick with his deceptive pace. The lanky seamer is impeccable with his line and bowls economical spells for 'Men in Blue'.

Bumrah has an lethal yorker in his armoury and can choke the opposition in the slog overs. Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have formed a deadly seam duo which has been instrumental in winning India matches in seam friendly conditions.

ODI Record 2010-2018

Matches 37

Wickets 64

Avg 22.5

Eco 4.64

SR 29

6. Morne Morkel

Morne Morkel

South African seamer Morne Morkel bowled back of a length and troubled the batsmen with his pace and steep bounce. The giant like fast bowler was a handful on South African tracks which are conducive to fast bowling.

Morne was known to hit the deck hard and exploit the seam movement off the pitch. He dented the opposition by peppering them with short pitch deliveries. Morne formed a deadly seam duo with South African pace ace Dale Steyn and together they became a fearsome new ball pair in ODI cricket.

ODI Record 2010-2018

Matches 94

Wickets 154

Avg 24.46

Eco 4.96

SR 29.5

5. Mitchell Johnson

Mitchell Johnson

Mitchell Johnson was Australia’s tearway left arm seamer who bowled with a lethal pace in the ODIs .Johnson became Australia’s fast bowling spearhead once Brett Lee departed from the international arena.

Johnson had a slingy action and hurled the ball consistency over the 140 kmph mark to wreak havoc among batting lineups. Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke used him in short bursts as an outright strike bowler and he rewarded the team with bagful of wickets.

ODI Record 2010-2018

Matches 81

Wickets 128

Avg 24.45

Eco 4.71

SR 31.1

4. Dale Steyn

Dale Steyn

Dale Steyn was South Africa’s pace spearhead under the captaincy of Graeme Smith. Much like his wicket taking exploits in Test cricket, Steyn has been a strike weapon for the Proteas in the limited overs format. The speedster generates good pace and can make the ball seam around from the right areas. Steyn is skillfull at both pitching the ball up and hitting the deck hard with short pitched deliveries.

Dale is a clever exponent of using the seam and has a very good yorker in his repertoire. Steyn formed a lethal pace attack with Morne Morkel and Kagiso Rabada which has held South African cricket in good stead over the years.

ODI Record 2010-2018

Matches 81

Wickets 129

Avg 25.59

Eco 4.80

SR 31.9

3. Lasith Malinga

Lasith Malinga

Lasith Malinga has been one of the most feared seamers in international cricket. Malinga is a rare breed who darts in the ball with his unusual slingly action. The Lankan speedster is deceptively quick and as his deliveries skid off the pitch.

Malinga has cleaned off the best of batting lineups with those toe crushing yorkers. He has been the best death bowler for the Lankans for more than a decade and choked the opposition for runs.

Malinga formed a lethal pace duo with the experienced Lankan seamer Nuwan Kulasekara in ODIs. An out and out strike bowler, Malinga gives the Sri Lankan pace attack cutting edge in white ball cricket.

ODI Record 2010-2018

Matches 140

Wickets 211

Avg 28.78

Eco 5.42

SR 31.8

2. Trent Boult

Trent Boult

Trent Boult has been New Zealand’s best seamer in the limited overs arena. Boult can send down thunderbolts and make the ball swing on any surface . The left arm quick isn’t afraid of pitching the ball up and using his late swing to bamboozle batsmen.

Boult is a wily customer and bowls exceptionally well at the death. He along with seasoned Tim Southee has led the Kiwis pace attack with distinction. Boult has the knack of picking up wickets early in his spell and gives the 'Black Caps' the initial breakthroughs with superlative consistency.

ODI Record 2010-2018

Matches 66

Wickets 122

Avg 24.63

Eco 5.09

SR 29.0

1. Mitchell Starc

Mitchell Starc

Mitchell Starc has been one of best left arm seamers in ODI cricket. The Australian pacer is menacing with his late in-swing as he gets the ball to swirl into batsmen at around the 145 kmps mark. His left arm angle creates all sorts of trouble for the best of batsmen. Starc generally bowls a fullish length and relies on his late in swing to set up his dismissals.

Starc has an exceptional strike rate in ODIs and picks up wickets in a heap. Starc has formed a lethal seam attack with Jos Hazelwood and Pat Cummins in ODI cricket. Starc was at his prime at the 2015 World Cup where he picked up 22 wickets and helped the Australians reach the finals against Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand.

ODI Record 2010-2018

Matches 72

Wickets 141

Avg 20.95

Eco 4.93

SR 25.4