Dundee (Scotland): Scotland pacer Charlie Cassell broke South Africa fast bowler Kagiso Rabada’s nine-year-old record for best bowling figures on debut in Men’s ODIs when he picked 7-21 in 5.4 overs against Oman in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 match here on Monday.
Cassell was added to the Scotland squad for the matches against Oman after fellow pacer Chris Sole made himself unavailable due to personal reasons. Cassell made an impact immediately with pinpoint accuracy, by trapping former Oman captain Zeeshan Maqsood lbw off his very first ball in international cricket.
His second delivery breached the defences of Ayaan Khan, making it the first-ever instance of a bowler having picked up wickets off his first two balls in ODI cricket. Two balls later, Cassell dismissed Khalid Kail.
Cassell’s sensational debut continued yielding wickets and he had a five-wicket haul with the dismissal of Mehran Khan in the 18th over. With this, he joined an exclusive list of 15 players, who had picked a five-for on Men’s ODI debut.
But it got even better when Cassell ran through the Oman tail to finish with 7-21, the best-ever bowling figures by an ODI bowler on international debut, going past the figures of 6-16 which Rabada took on his ODI debut for South Africa against Bangladesh in July 2015.
Cassell now has the seventh-best bowling figures by a player in ODIs, as Oman were bowled out for 91 in 21.4 overs after being asked to bat first. Pratik Athavale top-scored with 34 while only two other batters reached double digits.
–IANS
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