Bulawayo (Zimbabwe): Wanindu Hasaranga has equalled the record for the most consecutive five-wicket hauls in ODIs in a stunning start to Sri Lanka’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier campaign.
Spin sensation Hasaranga joined Pakistan great Waqar Younis as the only bowlers to claim five scalps in three consecutive ODIs when he took 5/79 from 10 overs against Ireland.
The 25-year-old leg-spinner started the streak with 6/24 against the UAE then followed up with 5/13 against Oman, and now has an incredible 16 wickets from Sri Lanka’s opening three ODIs at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023.
Waqar, an ICC Hall of Fame inductee, set the benchmark with 5/52 against the West Indies in 1990, after kicking off his hot streak with 5/11 and 5/16 against New Zealand, the ICC reported.
The Pakistan master of reverse swing also took back-to-back five-fors twice in ODIs, while only 11 other men have taken consecutive five-wicket hauls at least once.
Waqar finished with 13 five-wicket hauls in ODIs - a record the speedster still holds outright - and 416 scalps from 262 ODIs, but missed Pakistan's 1992 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup triumph due to injury.
Hasaranga currently has 61 wickets from 44 ODIs, with the latest run of five-wickets hauls the first three of his burgeoning career so far.
The spinner will have an opportunity to make the record his own when Sri Lanka take on Scotland in their last match of the group phase at the Cricket World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe.
Sri Lanka and Scotland have already locked in their spots in the Super Six stage of the tournament, but their clash will carry extra significance with vital points up for grabs.
The winner will take two more valuable points into the Super Six stage, after both teams already secured two points with their victories over fellow Group B qualifiers Oman.
The top-two teams at the end of the Super Six stage will book their place in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in India later this year. (UNI)