Anil Kumble’s second ODI five-wicket haul: On this day in 1994, the legendary spinner registered a match-winning performance.
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Exactly 26 years ago, legendary India spinner Anil Kumble registered his second ODI five-wicket haul in a match-winning performance for his team.
It all happened during the third ODI of India’s tour of New Zealand in 1994 in Wellington when Kumble’s bowling figures of 10-0-33-5 played a pivotal role in restricting the hosts to 243/9 in a 256-run chase.
After the then New Zealand captain Ken Rutherford won the toss and invited India in to bat, the visitors posted a competitive 255/5 in 50 overs on the back of half-centuries from their top three in Ajay Jadeja (56), Sachin Tendulkar (63) and Navjot Singh Sidhu (71*).
Kumble, who was introduced into the attack as a second-change bowler after Kapil Dev (8-0-40-0), Javagal Srinath (10-3-31-3) and Salil Ankola (10-0-55-0), picked up his first wicket in the form of New Zealand all-rounder Chris Harris (44) after the southpaw hit a full delivery straight to Jadeja at cover in the 17th over.
Kumble, then 23, picked his second and third wicket with superb assistance from the then India wicket-keeper Nayan Mongia. It were Mongia’s swift hands which saw the end of Blair Hartland (21) and Shane Thomson (60). With the latter looking set to seal the chase for the Kiwis, dismissing him sort of changed the game for India.
Kumble registered his second and last ODI five-wicket haul after Doin Nash (6) mis-timed a full-toss from Kumble to Dev as the Kiwis lost their ninth wicket in the penultimate over.
With the series level at 1-1 before the third ODI, Kumble powered India to a 2-1 lead before New Zealand came back from behind to draw the series 2-2 in Christchurch.
In the 271 ODIs which Kumble played before his last one in 2007, he dismissed 337 batsmen at an average of 30.89 and an economy rate of 4.30.
Anil Kumble’s second ODI five-wicket haul
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