New Zealand's dynamic cricketer, Mitchell Santner, etched his name alongside the legendary Daniel Vettori in the annals of cricket history by securing the record for the most ODI five-wicket hauls as a spinner for their nation.
Santner's performance in the match against Netherlands was nothing short of sensational. After delivering a scintillating cameo, amassing an unbeaten 36 runs off a mere 17 balls, punctuated by three boundaries and two towering sixes, he proceeded to dismantle the Netherlands' batting order.
His outstanding figures of 5/59 in a 10-over spell earned him the well-deserved Player of the Match accolade.
In the realm of New Zealand's spin bowling legacy, Santner and Vettori now share the distinction of achieving two five-wicket hauls each. Meanwhile, Matthew Hart and Ish Sodhi have contributed one each to this prestigious record.
Santner's remarkable feat also positions him among the elite left-arm spinners who have clinched a five-wicket haul in the ICC Cricket World Cup, joining the ranks of Yuvraj Singh in 2011 and Shakib Al Hasan in 2019.
His bowling figures in this World Cup place him in sixth position among New Zealand bowlers in tournament history.
The pinnacle of this category remains with the pace bowler Tim Southee, who claimed a remarkable 7/33 against England in the 2015 World Cup. In addition to this, Santner now proudly holds the title for the best figures by a New Zealand spinner in the history of the Cricket World Cup.
Notably, Santner has entered an exclusive club of players who have accomplished both a five-wicket haul and scored 30 or more runs in a single World Cup match, a list that includes cricket luminaries such as Kapil Dev, Andy Bichel, Yuvraj Singh, and Shakib Al Hasan.
Also, Santner's bowling figures against India stand as the second-best by a Kiwi bowler on Indian soil, with only Matthew Hart's remarkable 5/22 against West Indies in 1994 surpassing it.
