To represent your country at the highest level is a dream for any cricketer. Because only a few of them achieve their dreams. Then, there are some who have very successful careers at the international level. This article is also related to it. In this article, we will talk about some of the best bowlers that the world has seen in the game.
In the 150-plus-year history of this game, there are only two players who have taken 1000 or more wickets. For India, Anil Kumble holds the record for the most wickets in history. This list is mainly dominated by spinners. So let’s check out this list of elite bowlers.
Top 10 Wicket-takers in Internation Cricket in All (ODI+T20I+Test)
| Bowler | Mts | Span | Wkts | BBI | Avg | Econ | 5w | 10w |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muthiah Muralidaran | 495 | 1992-2011 | 1347 | 9/51 | 22.86 | 2.92 | 77 | 22 |
| Shane Warne | 339 | 1992-2007 | 1001 | 8/71 | 25.51 | 2.98 | 38 | 10 |
| James Anderson | 400 | 2002-2024 | 991 | 7/42 | 27.33 | 3.24 | 34 | 3 |
| Anil Kumble | 403 | 1990-2008 | 956 | 10/74 | 30.09 | 3.11 | 37 | 8 |
| Glenn McGrath | 376 | 1993-2007 | 949 | 8/24 | 21.76 | 2.93 | 36 | 3 |
| Wasim Akram | 460 | 1984-2003 | 916 | 7/119 | 23.57 | 3.17 | 31 | 5 |
| Stuart Broad | 344 | 2006-2023 | 847 | 8/15 | 27.83 | 3.45 | 21 | 3 |
| Shaun Pollock | 423 | 1995-2008 | 829 | 7/87 | 23.73 | 2.92 | 21 | 1 |
| Waqar Younis | 349 | 1989-2003 | 789 | 7/36 | 23.70 | 3.88 | 35 | 5 |
| Tim Southee | 391 | 2008-2024 | 769 | 7/33 | 29.37 | 4.00 | 20 | 1 |
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1. Muthiah Muralidaran (Sri Lanka) – 1347 Wickets
There might not be any bowler who can even come close to what Muthiah Muralidaran did in his career. With his action and ability to turn the ball both ways, not many batters picked him. That’s why he is at the top of the list, and his record might never be broken. The Sri Lankan legend played 495 games across formats and took 1347 wickets (800 Tests, 534 ODIs, and 13 T20Is) in his career between 1992 and 2011. He registered 77 fifers and 22 ten-wicket hauls, which is the most in cricket history; he even doubled that of any bowler, which shows how unplayable he was. He is also the fastest at 350 to 800 Test wickets.
2. Shane Warne (Australia) – 1001 Wickets
Shane Warne was the rival of Muthiah Muralidaran, as both of these spinners played in the same era. Warne, who played most of his career in SENA countries where the pitches were most helpful for the pacers, made his way to the top. The superstar leg spinner was the first bowler to reach 700 Test wickets and 1000 international wickets. He retired with 1001 wickets (708 tests, 293 ODIs) in his career of 339 matches, which spanned between 1992 and 2007. After Murali, you will find Warne on almost all the bowling records.
3. James Anderson (England) – 991 Wickets
As a pacer, it is not easy to have a long career, but James Anderson dismantled all those odds and showed the world that it can be possible. The English pacer made his debut in 2002, retired in 2024, and went on to become the leading wicket-taker as a pacer in history. He is only the third bowler to have 700 or more wickets in Tests. Overall, Anderson played 401 matches across formats and took 1004 wickets (703 Tests, 269 ODIs, and 18 T20Is) in his career, with 34 fifers and three ten-wicket hauls.
4. Anil Kumble (India) – 987 Wickets
Anil Kumble was the best bowler for India in international cricket at the time. He started his career as a fast bowler but went on to become a spinner. Kumble didn’t turn the ball much, but his speed and accuracy were his main strengths. He played international cricket between 1990 and 2008. Kumble played 403 matches for India and took 987 wickets (619 Tests and 337 ODIs). In fact, he took the most wickets in both Tests and ODIs for India. He is one of the three bowlers to take ten wickets in a test innings. Kumble also took 37 fifers and 8 ten-wicket hauls.
5. Glenn McGrath (Australia) – 956 Wickets
Former legendary pacer Glenn McGrath was part of the Australian team that dominated the world until 2008. He was their leading pacer across formats who kept on taking wickets irrespective of the opposition and surace. McGrath showed the world that you don’t always need an extra pacer to take wickets; it is your line and length. He played 403 matches for Australia and took 956 wickets (563 Tests, 381 ODIs, and 5 T20Is) in his career between 1990 and 2008.
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6. Wasim Akram (Pakistan) – 916 Wickets
Cricket has seen many great bowlers in previous generations, but the impact that Wasim Akram had in this game was unmatchable. He was one of the best left-arm pacers that the world has seen. He was one of the first to invent the reverse swing. Akram played 460 matches between 1984 and 2003, and he took 916 wickets (414 Tests and 502 ODIs) with 31 fifers and 5 ten-wicket hauls. He is one of the few bowlers to take 400 or more wickets in two formats.
7. Stuart Broad (England) – 847 wickets
Former English pacer Stuart Broad didn’t have a great start to his career when he was smacked by six consecutive sixes by Yuvraj Singh in the 2007 T20 World Cup. But that moment changed his career, and here he is now, one of the best bowlers to play the game. Broad played 344 matches for England and took 847 wickets (604 Tests, 178 ODIs, and 65 T20is) overall, including 21 fifers and 3 ten-wicket hauls. He is only the fifth bowler with 600 or more wickets in Tests.
8. Shaun Pollock (South Africa) – 829 Wickets
Shaun Pollock was one of the most underrated all-rounders in the game. He was a brilliant bowler who used to ball with tight line and length and was more than a handy lower-order batter. Pollock played cricket between 1995 and 2008 and featured in 423 matches. He took a total of 829 wickets (421 Tests, 393 ODIs, and 15 T20Is) with 21 fifers. Pollock also scored over 7,000 international runs, which makes him one of the most valuable players in history.
9. Waqar Younis (Pakistan) -789 wickets
Former Pakistani pacer Waqar Younis was one of the best generational talents. He had superb control of conventional and reverse swings and used them to full effect. He is still the fastest to reach 400 ODI wickets in history. Waqar played 349 international matches between 1989 and 2003 and took 789 wickets (373 Tests and 416 ODIs), with 35 fifers and 5 ten-wicket hauls. He took 13 fifers in ODIs, which is the most.
10. Tim Southee (New Zealand) – 769 Wickets
Tim Southee is certainly the most underrated bowler on this list. But he is the leading wicket-taker for New Zealand in international cricket. Southee is also the only bowler with 150+ wickets across all three formats. The veteran pacer made his debut in 2008 and is going strong. He has played 391 matches and taken 769 wickets (384 Tests, 221 ODIs, and 164 T20Is) with 20 fifers and one ten-wicket haul.
