No. 1 bowlers in ICC ODI rankings before the last 3 men's World Cups ft. Jasprit Bumrah
Indian pacer Mohammed Siraj's stunning five-wicket haul against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup 2023 final meant that he'd go into the 2023 World Cup as the top-ranked bowler in the ICC men's ODI rankings. He'll have Kuldeep Yadav as company in the top seeds after the left-arm spinner's recent form helped him rise to 10th.
Sandwiched between them in the top 10 rankings are three Australians (Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, and Adam Zampa), two Afghans (Rashid Khan and Mujeeb ur Rahman), two New Zealand fast bowlers (Trent Boult and Matt Henry), and one Pakistani (Shaheen Shah Afridi).
Below, we'll look at which bowlers occupied the top spot in the previous three World Cups and how they fared in the competition.
ICC 2019 World Cup - Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah picked up 33 wickets in 19 matches in the lead-up to the 2019 World Cup in England. His economy rate throughout most series was less than five and his average generally hovered between 20 and 30.
This took him to the top of the pile in the ICC men's ODI rankings for bowlers with 774 points, 15 clear of Boult. Bumrah carried that form to the World Cup, picking up 18 wickets in nine matches at 20.61. He ended the tournament as the fifth-highest wicket-taker and held up to the top spot while taking his rating to 809 points.
Since then, due to injuries and form issues, India's premier fast bowler has slipped to 28th but a home World Cup might just be what he needs to find another peak.
ICC 2015 World Cup - Saeed Ajmal
Pakistani off-spinner Saeed Ajmal picked up 39 wickets in 21 matches before the 2015 World Cup, outfoxing every big name of international cricket with his doosra. In no time, he was leading the ICC men's ODI rankings for bowlers with 744 points. Sunil Narine, also a wily and difficult-to-read spinner, was second with 734.
But his best weapon also became the reason for his absence from the marquee event in Australia. He was banned in September 2014 after his action for the variation was found illegal because his elbow bent more than 15 degrees it.
He remodeled his action but didn't take the risk of giving a test for the ICC before perfecting it. Failing the test would have meant a further suspension.
"Ajmal withdrew himself," Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, was quoted as saying by Reuters in December 2014. "We didn't want to take a risk with Ajmal's career because latest reports suggested his elbow extension was not still within the 15 degrees allowed by the ICC despite all the remedial work on his action.
"We were aware that if he took the official ICC test in a bid to make the World Cup squad and failed it he could be suspended from playing for one to two years and that would mean the end of his career," he added.
He never played an ODI again and announced retirement in November 2017.
ICC 2011 World Cup - Daniel Vettori
New Zealand spinner Daniel Vettori was never a prolific wicket-taker in ODIs but his consistency in doing the basics well was second to no one. He had 23 wickets in the five series' prior to the marquee event co-hosted by India which gave him a 10-point lead over South Africa's Morne Morkel (702) in the ICC men's ODI rankings for bowlers.
But Vettori, who was also leading the Kiwis, had an underwhelming World Cup even in favorable conditions. He went wicketless against Kenya and Australia and picked up two wickets against Zimbabwe before suffering a knee injury while fielding against Pakistan. After returning, he again blanked against South Africa.
In the semi-final against Sri Lanka, he got Mahela Jayawardene out lbw in a spell of 1/36 but Sri Lanka took an easy five-wicket win. Vettori lost 12 rating points through the course of the tournament but maintained his spot at the top.