Highest Wickets Takers in Test-ODI-T20 and World Cup Cricket

Highest Wickets Takers in Test Cricket

Even though it’s tough to face the fast bowling attack, the hex of spin bowling is much tougher to withstand. Batsmen who feel comfortable facing the fast bowling, they mostly become prey to the spinners, who trick them with their exquisite bowling persona. This is evident from the test cricket records where the highest wickets taker in the history of test cricket goes to Muttiah Muralitharan. This Srilankan King of off-spin bowling has preyed 800 batsmen by his inexplicable bowling at an excellent economy rate of 2.47.

Following is the list of top ten highest wicket takers in test cricket.

Bowler	Country	Matches	Wickets	Average	Economy Rate
Muttiah Muralitharan	Srilanka	133	800	22.72	2.47
Shane Warne	Australia	145	708	25.41	2.65
Anil Kumble	India	132	619	29.65	2.69
Glenn McGrath	Australia	124	563	21.64	2.49
Courtney Walsh	West Indies	132	519	24.44	2.53
Kapil Dev	India	131	434	29.64	2.78
Richard Hadlee	New Zealand	86	431	22.29	2.63
Shaun Pollock	South Africa	108	421	23.11	2.39
Wasim Akram	Pakistan	104	414	23.62	2.59
CEL Ambrose	West Indies	98	405	20.99	2.30

 

Highest Wicket Takers in ODI Cricket

Likewise test cricket, the highest wicket taker in One Day Internationals is Srilanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan. Although this first ever wrist spinning off-spinner has faced several controversies pertaining to his bowling action, ever smiling off spinner has remained unstoppable on the pitch. Muralitharan’s has clutched 517 wickets in ODIs with an economy rate of 3.92 as he has recently surpassed and broke the record of Wasim Akram. The King of Reverse Swing, Wasim Akram of Pakistan stands on the second slot with 502 wickets with a slightly better economy rate of 3.89. Following is the list of highest wicket takers in One day Internationals.

Bowler	Country	Matches	Wickets	Eco Rate
Muttiah Muralitharan	Srilanka	339	517	3.92
Wasim Akram	Pakistan	356	502	3.89
Waqar Younis	Pakistan	262	416	4.68
Chaminda Vaas	Srilanka	322	400	4.18
Shaun Pollock	South Africa	303	393	3.67
Glen McGrath	Australia	250	381	3.88
Anil Kumble	India	271	337	4.3
Brett Lee	Australia	186	324	4.71
Sanath Jayasuriya	Srilanka	444	322	4.78
Javagal Shrinath	India	229	315	4.44

 

Highest Wicket Takers in T20 Cricket  

With T20 cricket comes the name of Pakistan on top. This is on account of some superb performances by Pakistani Cricketers both with bat and ball. The highlight wicket takers in T20 cricket are the green flag bearers who have lofted their country’s name high in the sky. The highest wicket-taker in T20 cricket is Shahid Afridi with 53 wickets whereas Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal have correspondingly taken 47 wickets and 41 wickets. Following is the list of top 10 highest wicket takers in T20 cricket.

Bowler	Country	Matches	Wickets	Bowling Avg	Eco Rate
Shahid Afridi	Pakistan	42	53	18.39	6.13
Umar Gul	Pakistan	34	47	16.00	6.47
Saeed Ajmal	Pakistan	29	41	16.12	6.35
Daniel Vettori	New Zealand	28	35	16.57	5.36
SL Malinga	Srilanka	29	35	20.80	7.42
Scj Broad	England	29	35	21.57	7.41
BAW Mendis	Srilanka	19	33	12.39	5.68
GP Swann	England	20	30	14.50	6.49
MG Johnson	Australia	24	30	19.53	6.86
DW Steyn	South Africa	21	29	18.31	6.80

 

Highest Wicket Takers in World Cup Cricket Tournaments

Marking records in Cricket World Cup is every cricketer’s dream; however a few reach their destiny in a great manner. Cricket World Cup is chock-full with some distinguished bowling records of which the highest wicket taker record goes to Australian speed gun Glenn McGrath. Glenn McGrath has secured 71 wickets in ICC World Cup at an economy rate of 3.96. Wasim Akram comes on the second position with 55 wickets in his pocket, where he maintained a decent economy rate of 4.04.

A list of highest wicket takers is compiled for our readers’ interest, which is as follows.

Bowler	Country	Matches	Wickets	Bowling Avg	Econ Rate
Glenn McGrath	Australia	39	71	18.19	3.96
Wasim Akram	Pakistan	38	55	23.83	4.04
Muttiah Muralitharan	Srilanka	31	53	19.69	3.83
Chaminda Vaas	Srilanka	31	49	21.22	3.97
Javagal Srinath	India	34	44	27.81	4.32
Allan Donald	South Africa	25	38	24.02	4.17
GB Hoggs	Australia	21	34	19.23	4.12
Imran Khan	Pakistan	28	34	19.26	3.86
Shane Warne	Australia	17	32	19.50	3.83
Chris Harris	New Zealand	28	32	26.90	4.43