Who is the greatest ODI spinner of all time?

[Last Monetarist]

Murali for mine, if you could look past the giant elephant in the room. To be fair, however, you can say that about any off-spinner that bowled the doosra including Saqlain. Thus, I'd go for Murali.

 

[Cricfan123]

What is the controversy about Murali?

Come on. You know what I'm talking about.

 

[Cricfan123]

and the point exactly is crucial I think. Murali was the only wicket taker in that bowling line up. Whereas Saqlain, had Wasim, waqar, Shoaib Akhtar, not to forget Razzaq who was a decent LOI bowler at that time and with those in side, he would trump them all and take wickets

But Saqlain had those world class bowlers to put pressure on the opposition batsmen, Murali had none.

I would like to see Saqlain's record when at least 2 of Wasim, Waqar,Akhtar or Razzaq were not playing or were smashed all over the park in a match.

 

[TalentSpotterPk]

1. Saqlain

2. Murali

3. Warne


WorldCup :

Warne

 

[last_knight]

Shane Warne, Saqlain, and Murali are the outstanding ones. Never saw Saqlain and Warnes peak so can't really judge.

The one with better stats for first innings should be the best.

Here we are confusing "The Best" with "The Greatest".

 

[KhalidRafi]

Without a doubt, Saqlain.

 

[Mamoon]

Saqlain was no doubt brilliant and Muralitharan was clouded in controversy, but it is hard to look beyond the greatest spinner to ever live - Warne.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

1) Warne
2) Saqlain
3) Murali

Saqlain had a great 99 world cup but Warne won his team the tournament

 

[Hasan123]

The one with better stats for first innings should be the best.

Here we are confusing "The Best" with "The Greatest".

I prefer to judge after watching the players. I only saw Murali for a majority of his career

 

[KhalidRafi]

Saqlain.

 

[jeetu]

[table=width: 700, class: grid, align: center]
[tr][td]R/C[/td][td]

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C​

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D​

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E​

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F​

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[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]1[/td][td]Player [/td][td]Span [/td][td]Mat [/td][td]Wkts [/td][td]Ave [/td][td]Econ [/td][td]SR [/td][td]4W [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]2[/td][td]Saqlain Mushtaq (PAK) [/td][td]1995-2003 [/td][td]169 [/td][td]288 [/td][td]21.78 [/td][td]4.29 [/td][td]30.4 [/td][td]11 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]3[/td][td]BAW Mendis (SL) [/td][td]2008-2015 [/td][td]87 [/td][td]152 [/td][td]21.86 [/td][td]4.8 [/td][td]27.3 [/td][td]7 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]4[/td][td]Saeed Ajmal (PAK) [/td][td]2008-2015 [/td][td]113 [/td][td]184 [/td][td]22.72 [/td][td]4.18 [/td][td]32.6 [/td][td]6 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]5[/td][td]M Muralitharan (Asia/ICC/SL) [/td][td]1993-2011 [/td][td]350 [/td][td]534 [/td][td]23.08 [/td][td]3.93 [/td][td]35.2 [/td][td]15 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]6[/td][td]Imran Tahir (SA) [/td][td]2011-2016 [/td][td]64 [/td][td]111 [/td][td]23.44 [/td][td]4.65 [/td][td]30.2 [/td][td]5 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]7[/td][td]SK Warne (AUS/ICC) [/td][td]1993-2005 [/td][td]194 [/td][td]293 [/td][td]25.73 [/td][td]4.25 [/td][td]36.3 [/td][td]12 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]8[/td][td]Abdul Qadir (PAK) [/td][td]1983-1993 [/td][td]104 [/td][td]132 [/td][td]26.16 [/td][td]4.06 [/td][td]38.6 [/td][td]4 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]9[/td][td]GB Hogg (AUS) [/td][td]1996-2008 [/td][td]123 [/td][td]156 [/td][td]26.84 [/td][td]4.51 [/td][td]35.6 [/td][td]3 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]10[/td][td]GP Swann (ENG) [/td][td]2000-2013 [/td][td]79 [/td][td]104 [/td][td]27.76 [/td][td]4.54 [/td][td]36.6 [/td][td]3 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]11[/td][td]Shakib Al Hasan (BDESH) [/td][td]2006-2016 [/td][td]163 [/td][td]215 [/td][td]27.93 [/td][td]4.32 [/td][td]38.7 [/td][td]7 [/td][/tr]
[/table]

 

[kamz]

But Saqlain had those world class bowlers to put pressure on the opposition batsmen, Murali had none.

I would like to see Saqlain's record when at least 2 of Wasim, Waqar,Akhtar or Razzaq were not playing or were smashed all over the park in a match.

none of the bowler you listed are prssure bowlers, they themselves were wicket takers Waqar and Wasim have 400 and 500 wickets, they never played the role of putting pressure.

The reason Malcom Marshall is so highly rated is that he would come second change after the big names yet take wickets. not that they were applying pressure.

Its like saying Shane Warne's wickets have no value in tests because Mcgrath applied pressure. Abey bhai Mcgrath himself was a wicket taking bowler. Gillespie's role was to apply pressure

 

[Bilal7]

[table=width: 700, class: grid, align: center]
[tr][td]R/C[/td][td]

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[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]1[/td][td]Player [/td][td]Span [/td][td]Mat [/td][td]Wkts [/td][td]Ave [/td][td]Econ [/td][td]SR [/td][td]4W [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]2[/td][td]Saqlain Mushtaq (PAK) [/td][td]1995-2003 [/td][td]169 [/td][td]288 [/td][td]21.78 [/td][td]4.29 [/td][td]30.4 [/td][td]11 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]3[/td][td]BAW Mendis (SL) [/td][td]2008-2015 [/td][td]87 [/td][td]152 [/td][td]21.86 [/td][td]4.8 [/td][td]27.3 [/td][td]7 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]4[/td][td]Saeed Ajmal (PAK) [/td][td]2008-2015 [/td][td]113 [/td][td]184 [/td][td]22.72 [/td][td]4.18 [/td][td]32.6 [/td][td]6 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]5[/td][td]M Muralitharan (Asia/ICC/SL) [/td][td]1993-2011 [/td][td]350 [/td][td]534 [/td][td]23.08 [/td][td]3.93 [/td][td]35.2 [/td][td]15 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]6[/td][td]Imran Tahir (SA) [/td][td]2011-2016 [/td][td]64 [/td][td]111 [/td][td]23.44 [/td][td]4.65 [/td][td]30.2 [/td][td]5 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]7[/td][td]SK Warne (AUS/ICC) [/td][td]1993-2005 [/td][td]194 [/td][td]293 [/td][td]25.73 [/td][td]4.25 [/td][td]36.3 [/td][td]12 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]8[/td][td]Abdul Qadir (PAK) [/td][td]1983-1993 [/td][td]104 [/td][td]132 [/td][td]26.16 [/td][td]4.06 [/td][td]38.6 [/td][td]4 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]9[/td][td]GB Hogg (AUS) [/td][td]1996-2008 [/td][td]123 [/td][td]156 [/td][td]26.84 [/td][td]4.51 [/td][td]35.6 [/td][td]3 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]10[/td][td]GP Swann (ENG) [/td][td]2000-2013 [/td][td]79 [/td][td]104 [/td][td]27.76 [/td][td]4.54 [/td][td]36.6 [/td][td]3 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]11[/td][td]Shakib Al Hasan (BDESH) [/td][td]2006-2016 [/td][td]163 [/td][td]215 [/td][td]27.93 [/td][td]4.32 [/td][td]38.7 [/td][td]7 [/td][/tr]
[/table]

Ajmal is definitely up there with Saqi, Murali and Warne. Tahir can get there too if he keeps up his current performances.

 

[khurram39]

Off course no disagreement with your choice. He is the best "Saqi"

 

[PakLFC]

I am going for Saqi. Warnie is a close second.

 

[KhalidRafi]

Saqlain

 

[KhalidRafi]

[table=width: 700, class: grid, align: center]
[tr][td]R/C[/td][td]

A​

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B​

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C​

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D​

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H​

[/td][/tr]
[tr][td]1[/td][td]Player [/td][td]Span [/td][td]Mat [/td][td]Wkts [/td][td]Ave [/td][td]Econ [/td][td]SR [/td][td]4W [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]2[/td][td]Saqlain Mushtaq (PAK) [/td][td]1995-2003 [/td][td]169 [/td][td]288 [/td][td]21.78 [/td][td]4.29 [/td][td]30.4 [/td][td]11 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]3[/td][td]BAW Mendis (SL) [/td][td]2008-2015 [/td][td]87 [/td][td]152 [/td][td]21.86 [/td][td]4.8 [/td][td]27.3 [/td][td]7 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]4[/td][td]Saeed Ajmal (PAK) [/td][td]2008-2015 [/td][td]113 [/td][td]184 [/td][td]22.72 [/td][td]4.18 [/td][td]32.6 [/td][td]6 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]5[/td][td]M Muralitharan (Asia/ICC/SL) [/td][td]1993-2011 [/td][td]350 [/td][td]534 [/td][td]23.08 [/td][td]3.93 [/td][td]35.2 [/td][td]15 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]6[/td][td]Imran Tahir (SA) [/td][td]2011-2016 [/td][td]64 [/td][td]111 [/td][td]23.44 [/td][td]4.65 [/td][td]30.2 [/td][td]5 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]7[/td][td]SK Warne (AUS/ICC) [/td][td]1993-2005 [/td][td]194 [/td][td]293 [/td][td]25.73 [/td][td]4.25 [/td][td]36.3 [/td][td]12 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]8[/td][td]Abdul Qadir (PAK) [/td][td]1983-1993 [/td][td]104 [/td][td]132 [/td][td]26.16 [/td][td]4.06 [/td][td]38.6 [/td][td]4 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]9[/td][td]GB Hogg (AUS) [/td][td]1996-2008 [/td][td]123 [/td][td]156 [/td][td]26.84 [/td][td]4.51 [/td][td]35.6 [/td][td]3 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]10[/td][td]GP Swann (ENG) [/td][td]2000-2013 [/td][td]79 [/td][td]104 [/td][td]27.76 [/td][td]4.54 [/td][td]36.6 [/td][td]3 [/td][/tr]
[tr][td]11[/td][td]Shakib Al Hasan (BDESH) [/td][td]2006-2016 [/td][td]163 [/td][td]215 [/td][td]27.93 [/td][td]4.32 [/td][td]38.7 [/td][td]7 [/td][/tr]
[/table]

Not so sure about Mendis. Once teams figured him out he became virtually useless. He didn't maintain his form like all other great ODI spinners.

 

[KhalidRafi]

Oops. Fogot I already posted my pick.

 

[Bilal7]

1) Saqlain
2) Murali
3) Warne
4) Ajmal
5) Shakib/Tahir

The top five ODI spinners of all time. Ajmal could have been #1 had he played a few more games but he had a relatively short career so I'll rank him below Saqlain, Murali and Warne now. Tahir is the best currently and has been since Ajmal vacated the throne while Shakib has been a consistently good performer for some time as well.

 

[Rayyman]

Will be Shadab

 

[DRsohail]

1 saqlain 2 murli 3 warne.4 ajmal 5 abdul qadir..

 

[Arsalan Pro]

1.Saqlain Mushtaq
2.Murrali
3.Shane Warne

 

[SarfiBabarHaris]

Murali.
As much as I like Sqi but Murali has better longevity. Don't think Saqi would have been the same for 350 matches.

 

[Specialisttailender]

Murali hands down. He is the best bowler of all time. Leading wicket taker in ODI and Test. Everyone else takes a back seat. If T20 had arrived 10-15 years earlier he would have dominated T20 cricket as well.

 

[Hawkeye]

1) Saqlain
2) Murali
3) Warne
4) Ajmal
5) Shakib/Tahir

The top five ODI spinners of all time. Ajmal could have been #1 had he played a few more games but he had a relatively short career so I'll rank him below Saqlain, Murali and Warne now. Tahir is the best currently and has been since Ajmal vacated the throne while Shakib has been a consistently good performer for some time as well.

We're talking about spinners.

Not throwers please.

 

[Ellipsism]

Will be Shadab

This guy isn't the best spinner in our domestic circuit and now he has the potential to be the greatest ODI spinner...

You say this after a couple of T20's against mindless hacks.

 

[Kakar]

Saqlain, followed by Murali. Warne is a little below the two when it comes to ODIs.

 

[Rayyman]

This guy isn't the best spinner in our domestic circuit and now he has the potential to be the greatest ODI spinner...

You say this after a couple of T20's against mindless hacks.

I think he's good enough for LOIs. Maybe not as a specialist spinner in Tests, but can be very similar to Imran Tahir. Got Babar with a googly. He isn't a mindless hack. Let's see how Shadab does in his debut ODI series.

 

[The_Odd_One]

Saqlain Mushtaq

Averaged 19.19 after his first 100 ODIs bowling innings with almost 200 wickets in an era in which there were several ATG bats and master batters of spin bowling.

Averaged under 25 against India and Australia and under 25 in both countries as well.

None has performed at this level as a spinner.

 

[PakLFC]

Shane Warne for me. He made every future bowler want to become a spinner instead of a fast bowler.

 

[Ellipsism]

I think he's good enough for LOIs. Maybe not as a specialist spinner in Tests, but can be very similar to Imran Tahir. Got Babar with a googly. He isn't a mindless hack. Let's see how Shadab does in his debut ODI series.

I didn't see Shadab was a mindless hack... I said he's been up against mindless hacks.

He isn't a specialist spinner- he's a more capable batsman than he is a bowler, the quicker Mickey realises this the better.

 

[Justcrazy]

Saqlain

 

[big_gamer007]

Shri Rajesh Chauhan Ji.

 

[in_cutter]

Will be Shadab

Calm down man

Pak fans are #1 when it comes to hyping up a player.

 

[Haz95]

Toss up between Warne and Saqlain. If you count Ajmal then he was well on his way to being #1.

 

[shaz619]

The MAHARAJ [MENTION=47617]Red Devil[/MENTION] seriously I don't even know what this phantom warrior looks like ) [MENTION=132954]Aman[/MENTION]

 

[shaz619]

Shane Warne is the GOAT for me and a former world champion to.

 

[Shutdown Corner]

In LOI cricket, economy rate is a critical stat. A spell of 10-3-30-0 is more valuable than 10-0-50-1.

 

[zn426]

Any thread with the title of 'greatest etc etc'... should never have Afridi in it as a discussion point !! The fact that someone name dropped him here gives the consensus of our fans who somewhat still think that Lala is practically the next best thing since sliced bread.

Apart from the Greatest Entertainer Afridi's masquerading con of pretending to be a cricketer should be how everyone should associate him. Ruined a generation that man

Afridi was actually pretty amazing when he decided to show up. But his unfocused and inconsistent play made the whole point moot. He had so much potential and wasted it and with it an entire generation of Pakistanis who think that he's the example rather than a Miandad or an IK.

 

[Bilal7]

We're talking about spinners.

Not throwers please.

You are welcome to post your own list.