India's 5 highest wicket-takers vs Pakistan in ODIs ft. Irfan Pathan
While India vs Pakistan games are generalized as India's batting against Pakistan's bowling, it hasn't really always been the case. There also have been some Indian bowlers who have found success against Pakistan.
These encounters often brought a different level of excitement. The two nations used to play a lot of bilaterals in the past and probably it was the adrenaline rush that got the best out of the bowlers.
On that note, let's take a look at the five highest wicket takers for the Men in Blue against Pakistan in ODIs:
#5 Irfan Pathan - 34 wickets
One of the best left-arm pacers India have produced, Irfan Pathan in his early days had the ability to swing the ball both ways. He also played a role in India winning the ODI series in Pakistan and seemed to like playing against this particular opponent.
In 23 matches, Pathan picked up 34 wickets at an economy rate of just 5.37. He was also more than handy with the bat and had the potential to become a genuinely world-class all-rounder.
#4 Kapil Dev - 42 wickets
While Pathan had the potential to become a world-class all-rounder, Kapil Dev is arguably the greatest all-rounder that the Men in Blue have produced.
During his peak, Kapil Dev vs Imran Khan used to be the match-up that used to define India vs Pakistan games. In 32 ODIs against Pakistan, the World Cup winning captain picked up 42 wickets at an economy rate of just 4.21.
#3 Venkatesh Prasad - 43 wickets
Who can possibly forget the face-off that Venkatesh Prasad had against Aamer Sohail during the 1996 World Cup? That pretty much summed up just how pumped up Prasad was while facing Pakistan and the numbers tell the story.
In 29 ODI matches against Pakistan, Prasad had 43 wickets to his name with the best bowling figures of 5/27. His tall stature helped him gain steep bounce and that added with a bit of movement was tricky for the batters to handle.
#2 Javagal Srinath - 54 wickets
Another Indian pacer who loved bowling against Pakistan was Javagal Srinath. He had formed a good partnership with Venkatesh Prasad in the 1990s and even his record against Pakistan speaks volumes about his ability.
In just 36 ODIs, Srinath picked up a staggering 54 wickets at an average of 30.68 and an economy rate of just 5.04. He was deceptively quicker and also had the ability to swing the ball and cause problems for the batter.
#1 Anil Kumble - 54 wickets
While Anil Kumble is tied on 54 ODI wickets with Srinath against Pakistan, he makes the top of the list with a better economy rate of just 4.29.
Wrist spinners generally tend to go for a bit of runs, but Kumble's match-winning ability coupled with his miserly economy rate sums up just how lethal he was against Pakistan. His 10-fer against Pakistan in Tests is well known to all, but these staggering numbers in ODIs might have just gone under the radar from the great leg-spinner.