If this is told years down the line that a South African cricket team with Kagiso Rabada, Wiaan Mulder and Andile Phehlukwayo in it, decided that 40 of its mandatory fifty overs in an ODI would be bowled by four spinners against a spin playing team like Sri Lanka, it would be very hard to believe. It might also become a quiz question for generations to come.
Believe it or not, but that did happen and it happened on September 07th, 2021 in the third ODI of the three-match series between Sri Lanka and South Africa played at the R Premadasa stadium in Colombo. In fact, of the four spinners involved, one was a part-time bowler Aiden Markram who ended his 10 over spell with figures of 1-41.
Among the other three, skipper Keshav Maharaj was the most successful with figures of 3-38 from his 10 overs. George Linde and Tabraiz Shamsi picked one wicket each as Sri Lanka slothed its way to 203-9 in its allotted 50 overs after being reduced to 121-6 in the 27th over.
While among the nine wickets, eight were taken by spinners, it wasn’t till the 49th over that a pace bowler got a wicket. Mulder’s second delivery of 49th over, after being hammered by Chameera went straight to Janneman Malan at square leg and that's how the first wicket by a fast bowler was registered in this innings.
While this has been a feat that might not be repeated ever, it broke an earlier record of three South Africa spinners bowling 30 overs in a fifty over a game. It happened during a game against India in Jamshedpur in 2000, which is 21 years ago.