Anshul Kamboj recorded the joint-best ODI spell by an India pacer in 21 years on November 4, 2026, in Auckland. The Haryana pacer took 10-2-22-2 against New Zealand. He got his rhythm back after a tough debut, helping India restrict the Kiwis to 185 runs in the series opener.
India pacer Anshul Kamboj had a forgettable outing on his ODI debut against the West Indies last month in New Chandigarh. He leaked 82 runs in 10 overs and couldn't take a wicket as the Windies chased down a 352-run target by five wickets.
On Wednesday at the Eden Park in Auckland in his second ODI, the Haryana pacer redeemed himself in style as India got their five-match series against the New Zealand to a positive start. Kamboj emerged as the sharpest of the four pacers that India fielded for the series opener against the Kiwis. Bowling first change, the metronomic pacer's spells constricted the New Zealand batters.
Kamboj walked away with figures of 10-2-22-2 as India eventually restricted New Zealand to 185 in 40.2 overs after opting to bowl first. Using the skid off the surface and the extra bounce, Kamboj controlled the middle overs for India while fellow seamers Arshdeep Singh and Gurnoor Brar combined for seven wickets.
Joint-best since 2005
Kamboj dismissed New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner and Nathan Smith and ensured that his consistency had a place in the record books. The 25-year-old's economy rate of 2.20 is the best for an India pacer since Jasprit Bumrah walked away with similar figures in an ODI against Zimbabwe 10 years ago in Harare.
It is also the joint-best effort among Indian pacers in an ODI innings (all 10 overs bowled) since 2005, with Ashish Nehra and Ajit Agarkar being the others to achieve the feat in the last 21 years.
Best economy for an India pacer in an ODI innings since 2005 (10 overs bowled)
Bowler Spell Economy Opposition Venue Date Ashish Nehra 10-1-22-2 2.2 Sri Lanka Dambulla 3 Aug 2005 Ajit Agarkar 10-1-22-2 2.2 West Indies Kuala Lumpur (KAO) 20 Sep 2006 Jasprit Bumrah 10-1-22-4 2.2 Zimbabwe Harare 15 Jun 2016 Anshul Kamboj 10-2-22-2 2.2 New Zealand Auckland 4 Nov 2026