Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas (born 27 January 1974) is a former Sri Lankan international cricketer, who played all forms of the game, and a former ODI captain who is often described as the greatest fast bowler Sri Lanka has produced', due to his highly accurate lines, lengths and capability of swinging the ball. Vaas currently holds the record for the best bowling figures in ODI history and is the only bowler to take an 8-wicket haul in ODIs. He has 755 international wickets to his name. We will take a look at the five best bowling performances of Chaminda Vaas.
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7 for 120 & 7 for 71 vs West Indies test
The 3rd and final Test of the series at SSC Colombo against the Windies in 2001 saw the best career performance of Chaminda Vaas. He picked up 14 wickets in the game, helping Sri Lanka complete the clean sweep. He used the conditions very well by using his variations to the best of his ability. In the first innings, he picked up 7 wickets. In that innings, Brian Lara scored a double ton but the other 10 batsmen could not even combine to score as many runs as he did. In the second innings, Vaas again took 7 wickets and Sri Lanka won the Test by 10 wickets. He became the only second pace bowler after Imran Khan of Pakistan to claim 14 wickets in a match in the subcontinent.
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8 for 19 vs Zimbabwe– In ODI
Sri Lanka bowled out Zimbabwe for only 38 in the first match of the triangular series in Sri Lanka in the year 2001. Vaas was all over the Zimbabweans from the word go. He took 8 wickets for just 19 runs to dismiss Zimbabwe for the lowest ODI total then. Canada later broke this record by getting all out for 36 during the 2003 World Cup, yet again, against Sri Lanka, but Zimbabwe were not at all late to reply, claiming back their record by getting all out for a mere 35 in 2004, and guess what, it was again the Sri Lankans who were the destroyers. 8 for 19 still stands as the best individual bowling figure in ODI history.
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5 for 14 vs India– ODI
In the final of the Coca-Cola Champions Trophy 2000 at Sharjah, Sri Lanka had posted a big total of 299 with help of 189 by skipper Jayasuriya. India had to bat well to chase this total down. Hopes were lying with the opening duo of skipper Ganguly and Tendulkar. But Vaas with his tight bowling was quick to seal it for Sri Lanka very early in the innings. He sent the top four Indian batsmen back to the hut and ended up with 5 for 14. India was down and out because of these early blows from which they never recovered and finally got all out for only 54 runs.
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6 for 29 vs South Africa– Test
Before the 2004 test series between Sri Lanka and South Africa, Sri Lanka had never won the test series against the proteas. The First Test match of the series in Sri Lanka in 2004 yielded no result. But the hosts were hopeful of doing it for the first time. South Africa needed to chase down 493 to win or at least bat through to at least save the Test and series as well. Vaas was bowling beautifully in the fourth innings and did not give any chance to the visitors to save themselves from a humiliating loss. He took 6 wickets for just 29 runs to finish it off for Sri Lanka.
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4 for 22 vs West Indies – ODI
West Indies needed to win the pool game against Sri lanka in World Cup 2003 to reach the super six. Their bowlers did well to restrict Sri Lanka for a modest total of 228. But when West Indies came out to bat, Vaas broke the back of their batting order by getting Wavell Hinds and Lara very early in the innings. Then he took Gayle as well who managed to a score half century and in the same over he picked up Ridley Jacobs to almost end the West indian hopes. But this game is also remembered for the brave heroics of Sarwan; he was taken out of the ground on stretcher after being hit by a bouncer and was later rushed to a hospital. But Sarwan returned to the crease to almost script a fairy tale win for the West Indies but ultimately fell short by 6 runs.
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