From Shakib's sensational return to Prasidh Krishna's record figure: Here are top 10 ODI bowling performances of 2021

Although the year witnessed only 71 ODI games, it was enough to offer the fans some breath-taking bowling performances - from Shakib Al Hasan's sensational return to cricket from a year long ban to Chris Woakes' disciplined bowling against Bangladesh, from Prasidh Krishna's record-breaking figures on debut to a couple of maiden five-wicket hauls.

For the second consecutive time, the world cricket witnessed less than 100 ODIs played in a single calendar year, the first of its kind since the mi d 90s. 2021 saw just 71 ODI games being played with only four full-member nations competing in the bulk of the games, but it was enough to offer the fans some breath-taking bowling performances - from Shakib Al Hasan's sensational return to cricket from a year long ban to Chris Woakes' disciplined bowling against Bangladesh, from Prasidh Krishna's record-breaking figures on debut to a couple of maiden five-wicket hauls. Here are top 10 ODI bowling performances of 2021…

Shakib Al Hasan; Prasidh Krishna (Getty)

Shakib Al Hasan - 4/8 v West Indies

The all-rounder made a sensational return to international cricket after serving a one-year ban for not reporting a corrupt approach back in 2019 with his bowling figures of 4 for 8 in the opening ODI of the three-match series against an inexperienced West Indies. Introduced after the powerplay, Shakib struck instantly to remove Andre McCarthy before adding two more to his name, sending back captain Jason Mohammed for 17 and Nkrumah Bonner for a duck. He returned for his final spell to pick the final West Indies wicket as the visitors folded for just 122 in Dhaka. Bangladesh chased the target successfully with 14.1 overs to spare.

Dushmantha Chameera - 5/16 v Bangladesh

After captain Kusal Perera's sixth ODI hundred helped Sri Lanka put up a competitive total on the board, Chameera rocked the hosts early with three quick wickets with the new ball before returning to pick two lower-order wickets for a duck to complete his maiden five-wicket haul. His 5 for 16 helped Sri Lanka restrict the home side for a paltry 189 as Sri Lanka escaped a sweep in the three-match series having earlier lost the first two ODIs.

Chris Woakes (ICC)

Chris Woakes - 4/18 v Sri Lanka

A 99-run stand for the fourth wicket between Kusal Perera and Wanindu Hasaranga gave Sri Lanka some hope of not just a revival after the early jolt, but also of a total enough to offer some challenge to the ODI World Champions. But a disciplined bowling from Woakes saw Sri Lanka lose two quick wickets again as the visitors crumbled to a total of just 185. Earlier, Woakes had struck early to remove opener Pathum Nissanka and Dasun Shanaka for single-digit scores. Woakes' 4/18 in 10 overs included 51 dot balls and conceded only a single boundary. Joe Root's 79 and Jonny Bairstow's 43 helped England chase the target in 34.5 overs to win the opener of the three-match series at the Chester-le-Street.

Mehidy Hasan Miraz - 4/25 v West Indies

If it was Shakib in the ODI series opener, it was Mehidy who inflicted the damage in the second. The offspinner dismissed opener Sunil Ambris for 6 before picking two more in the same over and eventually completed his four-fer with a wicket of a lower-order batsman. Mehidy's 4 for 25 helped the hosts restrict West Indies to just 148 and then successfully completed the chase in 33.2 overs to win the second match of the series.

Shakib Al Hasan - 5/30 v Zimbabwe

After Liton Das' 102 set up Bangladesh's 276 for 9 in 50 overs after being put to bat first, Shakib scripted history to become the nation's highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket en route to his third career five-wicket haul. He dismissed Brendan Taylor, the Zimbabwean captain, to surpass former Bangladesh skipper Mashrafe Mortaza to reach the top spot before putting an end to Regis Chakabva's valiant fight and then running through the lower order to add three more to his name and complete the fifer. Shakib's 5 for 30 helped Bangladesh script a massive 155-run win in Harare.

Trent Boult (Getty)

Trent Boult - 4/27 v Bangladesh

New Zealand made a splendid return to the ODIs, playing their first in 2021, with a superb eight-wicket win against a depleted Bangladesh in Dunedin and Trent Boult was the architect of the win. He picked two early wickets, in his first two overs, before putting the final two nails in the coffin to fold the visitors for a just 131. Martin Guptill's fiery 19-ball 38 then helped New Zealand wrap up the game in just 21.2 overs.

Prasidh Krishna - 4/45 v England

He did not have a perfect start to his international debut as the England openers went on a rampage, but Krishna bounced back strongly in his second spell to provide the hosts with a crucial breakthrough with the dismissals of opener Jason Roy and Ben Stokes. And he could have had his third in two overs had captain Virat Kohli not dropped Eoin Morgan at slip in the delivery after Stokes' dismissal. After setting up India’s counter-attack, Krishna finished with 4 for 54 after dismissing the Curran brothers and became the first Indian seamer to pick more than three wickets on ODI debut, breaking a 24-year-old record.

Rashid Khan - 4/29 v Ireland

Chasing a par score in Abu Dhabi, Paul Stirling kept Ireland in the hunt but the Afghanistan spinners denied him any support from the other end with wickets at regular intervals. Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi gave the early breakthroughs before Rashid picked the middle order lineup and returned to add a lower order batter and complete his four-fer. Afghanistan won by 36 runs to complete a clean sweep over Ireland.

Matt Henry - 4/27 v Bangladesh

Devon Conway and Daryl Mitchell's maiden ODI centuries helped New Zealand set a massive target of 319. In reply, Matt Henry crushed the top order line-up in what was another insipid batting display. He dismissed captain Tamim Iqbal, Soumya Sarkar and Liton Das in successive overs with the new ball and completed his four-fer with a lower-order dismissal.

Jimmy Neesham (Getty)

Jimmy Neesham - 5/27 v Bangladesh

Following Henry's exploits, all-rounder Neesham filled his boots as he rattled the lower order, picking the final two wickets in four balls, to register his career-best figures. New Zealand won the third ODI of the series by a margin of 164 runs.