Australia's 3 highest wicket-takers against India in men's ODI World Cups ft. Glenn McGrath
Australia and India have a storied history when it comes to the ODI World Cup. The two sides have faced each other a total of 12 times in the competition since 1983, with the Aussies having etched a dominant record in the form of eight wins, compared to Team India's four.
Holding a combined total of seven ODI World Cup titles between them, India and Australia have also delivered some memorable matches, whether it be their thriller in the 1987 edition or the 1996 one, with both fixtures taking place in India. With the ODI World Cup making a return to the subcontinent after 11 years, the two sides are expected to put together yet another classic encounter for the ages.
According to the schedule, both sides will begin their respective 2023 ODI World Cup campaigns by locking horns against each other at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday.
When India and Australia come up against each other, the key match-up, more or less, has been between the Indian batting unit and the Australian bowling battery.
The Aussies have forged some formidable bowling attacks over the years with the transition always being a smooth process, and they have left their impression with notable performances against the Men in Blue at the grandest stage of cricket.
On that note, let us take a look at Australia's three highest wicket-takers against India in men's ODI World Cups.
#1 Craig McDermott (8 wickets)
The right-arm pacer is the leading wicket-taker for Australia against India in World Cups with eight scalps to his name in three matches.
In his first-ever World Cup encounter against India, which was the famous thriller at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai in 1987, the pacer was the pick of the bowlers with figures of 4-56. His spell included the key wickets of Navjot Sidhu, Dilip Vengsarkar, Mohammad Azharuddin, and Ravi Shastri.
In the second meeting between the two sides in the same edition, McDermott was once again the pick among the Australian bowlers with figures of 3-61, but this time around his efforts came in a losing effort.
His final World Cup appearance against India came in the 1992 edition. The pacer took one wicket off his nine overs, conceding 35 runs in the process as Australia etched yet another close win over India.
#2 Glenn McGrath (7 wickets)
The legendary pacer is the highest wicket-taker in ODI World Cup history with 71 wickets in 39 matches at an economy rate of 3.96. Out of his imperious wicket tally, seven of those scalps came against India across four matches.
His first meeting against India in the competition came in the 1996 edition, where he bowled three maiden overs, but ended up wicketless. Australia went on to win the close encounter at the Wankhede Stadium, and McGrath had to wait for the next edition to open his tally against the Men in Blue.
During the 1999 World Cup meeting between the two teams, the pacer finished with figures of 3-34 in his side's dominant win at The Oval.
He finished with figures of 1-21 off his eight overs as the Men in Yellow decimated India by nine wickets in the 2003 World Cup. In the final of the same edition, McGrath took the crucial wicket of Sachin Tendulkar and finished with figures of 3-52 as the Aussies won their third ODI World Cup title.
#3 Damien Fleming (7 wickets)
The right-arm pacer is only one of the two Australian bowlers to claim a five-wicket haul against India in World Cups. He achieved the feat in Australia's win over India in the 1996 World Cup.
Fleming claimed the wickets of Ajay Jadeja, Vinod Kambli, Mohammad Azharrudin, Anil Kumble, and Javagal Srinath to finish with figures of 5-36 off his nine overs.
He secured one more World Cup appearance against India in the 1999 edition, where he claimed two wickets while conceding 33 runs.
Kenneth MacLaey, meanwhile, holds the best-ever figures for an Australian bowler against India in the competition. He took six wickets for 39 runs during the inaugural meeting between the two sides in 1983.
MacLaey took one wicket when the two sides faced each other in the same edition, and as a result, has seven wickets to his name against the Men in Blue.