Most Wickets in International Cricket
Cricket has seen many great bowlers who have troubled some of the world's best batsmen with their bowling skills. Taking wickets in one match can be easy, but consistently taking wickets over a long international career is a great achievement. When we talk about the Most Wickets in International Cricket, Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan stands at the top of the list.
He finished his international career with 1,347 wickets. In this article, we will look at the top 15 bowlers with the most wickets in international cricket, combining their Test, ODI and T20 International records.
Who Has Taken the Most Wickets in International Cricket?
Sri Lankan legend Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record for taking the most wickets in international cricket. He finished his career with 1,347 wickets across Test, ODI and T20 International matches.
Australia's Shane Warne is second on the list with 1,001 wickets. England's James Anderson follows him in third place with 991 wickets.
India's Anil Kumble is in fourth place. He took 956 wickets during his international career.
Top 15 Bowlers with the Most Wickets in International Cricket
The following table shows the top 15 bowlers with the most international wickets. The total includes wickets taken in Test matches, One Day Internationals and T20 Internationals.
| Rank | Player | Country | Test Wickets | ODI Wickets | T20I Wickets | Total Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | 800 | 534 | 13 | 1,347 |
| 2 | Shane Warne | Australia | 708 | 293 | 0 | 1,001 |
| 3 | James Anderson | England | 704 | 269 | 18 | 991 |
| 4 | Anil Kumble | India | 619 | 337 | 0 | 956 |
| 5 | Glenn McGrath | Australia | 563 | 381 | 5 | 949 |
| 6 | Wasim Akram | Pakistan | 414 | 502 | 0 | 916 |
| 7 | Stuart Broad | England | 604 | 178 | 65 | 847 |
| 8 | Shaun Pollock | South Africa | 421 | 393 | 15 | 829 |
| 9 | Waqar Younis | Pakistan | 373 | 416 | 0 | 789 |
| 10 | Mitchell Starc | Australia | 460 | 247 | 79 | 786 |
| 11 | Tim Southee | New Zealand | 391 | 221 | 164 | 776 |
| 12 | Ravichandran Ashwin | India | 537 | 156 | 72 | 765 |
| 13 | Chaminda Vaas | Sri Lanka | 355 | 400 | 6 | 761 |
| 14 | Courtney Walsh | West Indies | 519 | 227 | 0 | 746 |
| 15 | Brett Lee | Australia | 310 | 380 | 28 | 718 |
Note: This is a men's international cricket list. Total wickets are calculated by adding Test, ODI and T20I wickets. Active players' records can change as they play more international matches.
1. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) – 1,347 Wickets
Muttiah Muralitharan is the highest wicket-taker in international cricket history. He played 495 international matches and finished his career with 1,347 wickets.
Muralitharan took 800 wickets in Test cricket and 534 wickets in ODIs. He also took 13 wickets in T20 International cricket.
He was famous for his off-spin bowling and doosra. His ability to turn the ball and trouble batsmen made him one of the greatest spin bowlers in cricket history.
2. Shane Warne (Australia) – 1,001 Wickets
Shane Warne is second on the list of bowlers with the most wickets in international cricket. He finished his international career with 1,001 wickets.
Warne took 708 wickets in Test cricket and 293 wickets in ODIs. He did not play T20 International cricket.
He was one of the greatest leg-spin bowlers in cricket history. His ability to turn the ball sharply made life difficult for many world-class batsmen.
3. James Anderson (England) – 991 Wickets
England's legendary fast bowler James Anderson is third on this list. He finished his international career with 991 wickets.
Anderson took 704 wickets in Test cricket, 269 wickets in ODIs and 18 wickets in T20 Internationals.
He was famous for his swing bowling, especially in English conditions. His long career and consistent performances made him one of the greatest fast bowlers in cricket history.
4. Anil Kumble (India) – 956 Wickets
Former Indian leg-spinner Anil Kumble is fourth on the list. He finished his international career with 956 wickets.
Kumble took 619 wickets in Test cricket and 337 wickets in ODIs. He did not play T20 International cricket.
He was known for his accuracy, control and ability to put pressure on batsmen. He also holds the record for taking all 10 wickets in a single innings of a Test match.
5. Glenn McGrath (Australia) – 949 Wickets
Australia's legendary fast bowler Glenn McGrath is fifth on the list. He finished his international career with 949 wickets.
McGrath took 563 wickets in Test cricket, 381 wickets in ODIs and 5 wickets in T20 Internationals.
He was famous for his accurate line and length. His consistent bowling played an important role in many of Australia's memorable victories.
6. Wasim Akram (Pakistan) – 916 Wickets
Former Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram is sixth on the list of bowlers with the most wickets in international cricket. He finished his career with 916 wickets.
Akram took 414 wickets in Test cricket and 502 wickets in ODIs. He did not play T20 International cricket.
He was famous for his pace, swing and reverse swing bowling. Many cricket experts consider him one of the greatest left-arm fast bowlers of all time.
7. Stuart Broad (England) – 847 Wickets
Former England fast bowler Stuart Broad is seventh on this list. He finished his international career with 847 wickets.
Broad took 604 wickets in Test cricket, 178 wickets in ODIs and 65 wickets in T20 Internationals.
He was known for his bounce, swing and ability to take important wickets. He played a major role in many memorable victories for England.
8. Shaun Pollock (South Africa) – 829 Wickets
Former South African fast bowler Shaun Pollock is eighth on the list. He finished his international career with 829 wickets.
Pollock took 421 wickets in Test cricket, 393 wickets in ODIs and 15 wickets in T20 Internationals.
He was known for his disciplined bowling and excellent all-round skills. He was one of South Africa's most reliable players during his international career.
9. Waqar Younis (Pakistan) – 789 Wickets
Former Pakistan fast bowler Waqar Younis is ninth on the list. He finished his international career with 789 wickets.
Waqar took 373 wickets in Test cricket and 416 wickets in ODIs. He did not play T20 International cricket.
He was famous for his fast yorkers and reverse swing bowling. His bowling skills made him one of the most dangerous fast bowlers of his generation.
10. Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 786 Wickets
Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc is tenth on this list. He has taken 786 wickets across Test, ODI and T20 International cricket according to the figures used in this table.
Starc's record includes 460 Test wickets, 247 ODI wickets and 79 T20I wickets.
He is famous for his pace, swing and accurate yorkers. He is also known for taking important wickets with the new ball. As an active international player, he has the opportunity to increase his wicket tally further.
11. Tim Southee (New Zealand) – 776 Wickets
Former New Zealand fast bowler Tim Southee is eleventh on the list. He finished his international career with 776 wickets.
Southee took 391 wickets in Test cricket, 221 wickets in ODIs and 164 wickets in T20 Internationals.
He was known for his ability to swing the new ball and take early wickets. He made important contributions to New Zealand cricket in all three international formats.
12. Ravichandran Ashwin (India) – 765 Wickets
Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin is twelfth on this list. He finished his international career with 765 wickets.
Ashwin took 537 wickets in Test cricket, 156 wickets in ODIs and 72 wickets in T20 Internationals.
He was famous for his different spin variations and smart bowling strategies. He often used his cricket knowledge to outsmart batsmen. Ashwin announced his retirement from international cricket in December 2024.
13. Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka) – 761 Wickets
Former Sri Lankan fast bowler Chaminda Vaas is thirteenth on the list. He finished his international career with 761 wickets.
Vaas took 355 wickets in Test cricket, 400 wickets in ODIs and 6 wickets in T20 Internationals.
He was famous for his swing bowling and ability to take early wickets. He played an important role in strengthening Sri Lanka's bowling attack.
14. Courtney Walsh (West Indies) – 746 Wickets
West Indies fast bowling legend Courtney Walsh is fourteenth on the list. He finished his international career with 746 wickets.
Walsh took 519 wickets in Test cricket and 227 wickets in ODIs. He did not play T20 International cricket.
He was known for his pace, bounce and ability to bowl long spells. His consistency made him one of the most successful fast bowlers of his time.
15. Brett Lee (Australia) – 718 Wickets
Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee is fifteenth on this list. He finished his international career with 718 wickets.
Lee took 310 wickets in Test cricket, 380 wickets in ODIs and 28 wickets in T20 Internationals.
He was famous for his extreme pace and aggressive bowling style. During his career, he regularly bowled at speeds of more than 150 kilometres per hour.
Important Records in International Cricket
Here are some important records related to the most successful international bowlers:
Muttiah Muralitharan holds the first position with 1,347 international wickets.
Muralitharan and Shane Warne are the only two bowlers to take more than 1,000 international wickets.
Muralitharan holds the record for the most Test wickets, with 800.
Muralitharan also holds the record for the most ODI wickets, with 534.
James Anderson finished his career with 991 international wickets, just nine short of the 1,000-wicket mark.
Anil Kumble is India's leading wicket-taker in this list, with 956 international wickets.
Mitchell Starc is among the active bowlers featured in this list.
Conclusion
The list of bowlers with the most wickets in international cricket shows the importance of consistency and hard work. Muttiah Muralitharan leads the list with 1,347 wickets, a remarkable record in cricket history. Other legends such as Shane Warne, James Anderson, Anil Kumble and Glenn McGrath also achieved great success during their careers.
Their records show how difficult it is to perform consistently at the highest level of international cricket for many years. These bowlers will always be remembered for their outstanding contributions to the game.
Frequently asked questions
Who has taken the most wickets in international cricket?
Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record for the most wickets in international cricket. He finished his career with 1,347 wickets across Test, ODI and T20I formats.
Who is second on the list of most wickets in international cricket?
Australia's Shane Warne is second on the list with 1,001 international wickets.
Which Indian bowler has taken the most international wickets?
Anil Kumble is India's highest wicket-taker in this list. He took 956 wickets in international cricket.
Who has taken the most wickets in Test cricket?
Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record for the most Test wickets, with 800 wickets in 133 matches.
How are total international wickets calculated?
Total international wickets are calculated by adding a player's wickets in Test matches, One Day Internationals (ODIs) and T20 Internationals (T20Is).
