It is true that any game; especially cricket; is based on the skills and techniques one learns while practicing and playing the game but one can’t deny the fact that other factors like height, flexibility of muscles, and body reflexes also count on the field when one is playing an intense game of cricket.
Good height adds on to the overall performance of a cricket player. It happens especially with bowlers as their height provides extra bounce to the ball on the pitch which can make it difficult for the batsman to handle the deliveries efficiently that they would have done with some other average height bowler.
Thus, we can say that height is an important factor that influences one’s game on the field. From cricket’s history and that of most tall players we can say that height has played a significant role in their success and most of them have shown unique abilities and have dominated the cricketing field when playing.
Thus, here is the list of top 10 tallest cricketers in the world of all time who have marked their name in the history of cricket. Here we are going to talk about their careers and achievements in their career as cricketers.
| Name | Height | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Irfan | 7’ 1” | Pakistan |
| Marco Jansen | 6’ 10” | South Africa |
| Boyd Rankin | 6’ 8.5” | England |
| Joel Garner | 6’ 8” | West Indies |
| Bruce Reid | 6’ 8” | Australia |
| Kyle Jamieson | 6’ 8” | New Zealand |
| Blessing Muzarabani | 6’ 8” | Zimbabwe |
| Cameron Cuffy | 6’ 8” | West Indies |
| Peter George | 6’ 8” | Australia |
| Curtly Ambrose | 6’ 7” | West Indies |
1. Mohammad Irfan (7’1”)
Mohammad Irfan stands on number one when it comes to the list of tallest cricketers of all time in the world. His height has been an extra add on to his bowling career as his extraordinary height provides him to generate that extra bounce which makes him one of the best fast bowlers in the history.
All his deliveries are hard to face as his height provides him with the advantage of extra bounce. In his career he has troubled numerous top-order batsmen and has contributed in getting those essential wickets in the game.
| Name | Mohammad Irfan |
| Age | 41 Years |
| Height (in cm) | 216 |
| Height (in ft.) | 7’1” |
| Country | Pakistan |
He debuted in the ODI cricket format in 2010 and has been one of the best bowlers from the Pakistan’s cricket team. He has a notable bowling average with great economy rate in limited-over format.
Mohammad Irfan has contributed a total of 83 wickets in ODI cricket format with an economy rate of 4.87. And in T20 he has taken 16 wickets and has an economy rate of 6.90 which is quite remarkable.
See Also:- Most Dangerous Batsmen
2. Marco Jansen (6’10”)
Marco Jansen stands tall on the field of cricket both in terms of his growing career and his height. He is 6 feet and 10 inches tall and is one of the best fast bowlers in international cricket.
His height allows him to deliver balls at a high speed with that extra bounce which makes it hard for the batsmen to face the ball with their usual ability. He is especially known for his ball deliveries at troubling angles and his achievements in test cricket have been remarkable as a young player.
| Name | Marco Jansen |
| Age | 24 Years |
| Height (in cm) | 206 |
| Height (in ft.) | 6’10” |
| Country | South Africa |
Marco Jansen is one of the youngest players on the list of top 10 tallest cricketers in the world. Though Jansen is young he has already become one of the key players of the South African cricket team and fans are yet to see more of him on the field as a bowler.
Read Also:- Most Wickets in a Test Match
3. Boyd Rankin (6’8.5”)
Boyd Rankin has been a key player in both England and Ireland’s international cricket teams. He stands on number three in the list of top 10 tallest cricketers in the world with the height equivalent to 6 feet and 8.5 inches.
His height has enabled him to generate a sharp bounce while bowling which make it hard for the batsmen to face his balls and score any runs easily as his balls are hard to play and plan shots.
| Name | Boyd Rankin |
| Age | 40 Years |
| Height (in cm) | 204 |
| Height (in ft.) | 6’8.5” |
| Country | England/ Ireland |
While on the field Rankin as a bowler has proved himself as an asset for the team in bouncy and seaming conditions as his height has been an add on to his extraordinary bowling career in both the teams.
4. Joel Garner (6’8”)
Joel Garner has been titled as “Big Bird” because of his tall figure. Though the player retired long ago from the game he is known as one of the most intimidating bowlers in the history of cricket. He played on the side of the West Indies and was a key player of the team.
| Name | Joel Garner |
| Age | 71 Years |
| Height (in cm) | 203 |
| Height (in ft.) | 6’8” |
| Country | West Indies |
He has been an impactful player for the West Indies team with 146 wickets in ODI cricket format and 3.09 economy rate which is one of the best bowling averages in the format. And in test cricket he has 259 wickets under his name and economy rate for the same format was 2.47.
He was part of the West Indies cricket team in the year 1979 when the team lifted the trophy. The player is known for revolutionising fast bowling with bouncers and yorkers.
See More:- Richest Cricketers in the World
5. Bruce Reid (6’8”)
Bruce Reid has retired from the game but was known for his left-arm fast bowler. His advantage was his height as it enabled him to bowl too fast and became a real challenge on the field for batsmen playing against him.
Reid was known for his contributions for the Australian team as he has been a powerhouse for the team in his active years. He was a key player of the team in the late 80s and early 90s.
| Name | Bruce Reid |
| Age | 60 Years |
| Height (in cm) | 203 |
| Height (in ft.) | 6’8” |
| Country | Australia |
Bruce Reid has contributed a total of 113 wickets in test cricket and has an economy rate of 2.63 whereas he has taken a total of 63 wickets in ODI cricket format with economy rate of 3.72.
6. Kyle Jamieson (6’8”)
Kyle Jamieson is a young emerging player who plays on the side of New Zealand. He is admired for his height and game play on the field in all formats of the game and is thought to be one of the most deadly bowlers of the coming times for the team.
Jamieson has an advantage of height which has proven to be his USP on the field as a bowler and a player overall. He plays for the New Zealand’s national team and in IPL he plays for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
| Name | Kyle Jamieson |
| Age | 29 Years |
| Height (in cm) | 203 |
| Height (in ft.) | 6’8” |
| Country | New Zealand |
He was a part of the New Zealand’s cricket team during the ICC World Test Championship in 2021 when the team lifted the trophy. He has taken a total of 72 wickets in test cricket and has an economy rate of 2.38 whereas in ODIs he has taken a total of 22 wickets with economy rate of 4.28.
See More:- Most Sixes as Captain
7. Blessing Muzarabani (6’8”)
Blessing Muzarabani is again a rising star in the Zimbabwe’s cricket team. He is known as a pacer who is 6 feet and 8 inches and is a brilliant attacker on the batsmen when it comes to bowling.
His height adds on to the bounce of the ball which can confuse the batsmen to lose wickets. He has proved himself to be a significant part of the Zimbabwe team when it comes to bowling as he has been an asset for the team in both limited-overs and test cricket.
| Name | Blessing Muzarabani |
| Age | 29 Years |
| Height (in cm) | 203 |
| Height (in ft.) | 6’8” |
| Country | Zimbabwe |
With time Blessing Muzarabani has turned out to be a brilliant fast bowler for the team which has made the team’s overall bowling attack much stronger.
8. Cameron Cuffy (6’8”)
Cameron Cuffy is a former fast bowler of the West Indies team, his height has been an asset for the cricketer in his cricketing career. He was an active player for the West Indian team from 1994 to 2002.
He was known for his ability to maintain a good line and length with that extra bounce on the field while bowling. Though the cricketer was not that famous because of his short career as a cricketer, his contributions have been invaluable.
| Name | Cameron Cuffy |
| Age | 54 Years |
| Height (in cm) | 203 |
| Height (in ft.) | 6’8” |
| Country | West Indies |
The player was particularly known for his ability to control the economy rate and creating pressure on the batsmen by interrupting the flow of runs at crucial times during the match.
9. Peter George (6’8”)
Peter George is an active player of the Australian cricket team. He is a known fast bowler with great height and pace. Though the player has retired from international cricket very early but has created an impact and is a known name in the world of cricket.
| Name | Peter George |
| Age | 37 Years |
| Height (in cm) | 203 |
| Height (in ft.) | 6’8” |
| Country | Australia |
The player played for the Australian national cricket team and also for the South Australian team in domestic cricket. Peter George proved himself to be an asset for the Australian cricket team during his time with the team.
10. Curtly Ambrose (6’7”)
Curtly Ambrose is a well-known figure in cricket as he is one of the greatest fast bowlers in the history. His precision while bowling and his height added to his style of bowling became a nightmare for the batsmen playing against him.
He is known for his game play on the field and getting maximum wickets for the team which resulted in the team’s victory. He is famous for winning the matches for his team single-handedly.
| Name | Curtly Ambrose |
| Age | 60 Years |
| Height (in cm) | 201 |
| Height (in ft.) | 6’7” |
| Country | West Indies |
Though the player was actively playing for the West Indies team during the late 80s and 90s, he has been a threat for the batsmen during this time. In test matches the player has taken a total of 405 wickets and maintained an economy rate of 2.30 whereas in ODIs he has taken a total of 225 wickets with an economy rate of 3.48.
Conclusion
One can say that great height proves to be an advantage for the cricketers. It plays a crucial role in shaping the success of the bowlers. All the above-mentioned cricketers are the top 10 tallest cricketers in the world of all time and all of them have been great bowlers as height adds to the bounce of the ball.
Height is a privilege for all the bowlers and one can use their physical attributes to become one of the most feared bowlers of all time. The list indicates that when height is combined with skill and strategy one can become a powerful force in the cricketing world.
