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The ongoing 2023 ODI World Cup in India has given some tremendous performances so far with both bat and ball. The batters have produced some exceptional knocks and helped their team to put a big score on the board. The bowlers have also been impressive and bowled some unplayable deliveries to get rid of in-form batters and guide their team towards victory. The bowlers play a pivotal role in guiding their team to success in the 50-over format. Bowlers get their patience tested in the ODI format as sometimes the batters build a huge partnership that could take the game away from them. The middle overs are very crucial because, if a bowler gets the wicket during that period, they can restrict the batting side from getting too big a total.
We have seen some of the greatest who have ruled the 50-over format over the years. With their technique and brilliance, many bowlers have made the world-class batters surrender in front of them. In this article, we will have a look at the top 10 leading wicket-takers in the ODI format.
Players with Most Wickets in ODI Cricket History
| Rank | Player | Balls | Overs | Wickets | Econ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | M Muralidaran (Asia/ICC/SL) | 18811 | 3135.1 | 534 | 3.93 |
| 2 | Wasim Akram (PAK) | 18186 | 3031.0 | 502 | 3.89 |
| 3 | Waqar Younis (PAK) | 12698 | 2116.2 | 416 | 4.68 |
| 4 | WPUJC Vaas (Asia/SL) | 15775 | 2629.1 | 400 | 4.18 |
| 5 | Shahid Afridi (Asia/ICC/PAK) | 17670 | 2945.0 | 395 | 4.62 |
| 6 | SM Pollock (Afr/ICC/SA) | 15712 | 2618.4 | 393 | 3.67 |
| 7 | GD McGrath (AUS/ICC) | 12970 | 2161.4 | 381 | 3.88 |
| 8 | B Lee (AUS) | 11185 | 1864.1 | 380 | 4.76 |
| 9 | SL Malinga (SL) | 10936 | 1822.4 | 338 | 5.35 |
| 10 | A Kumble (Asia/IND) | 14496 | 2416.0 | 337 | 4.30 |
1. Muttiah Muralidaran (Asia/ICC/SL): 534 Wickets
Muttiah Muralidaran is the most successful bowler in ODI cricket history, with over 500 wickets to his name. He is also the bowler with the most wickets in ODI cricket victories, with 534. Muralidaran was a master of spin, and his ability to take wickets in clusters was unmatched.
Also see: Players to Reach Fastest 100 ODI Wickets
2. Wasim Akram (PAK) : 502 wickets
Wasim Akram was one of the most complete bowlers in the history of cricket. He was a fast bowler who could swing the ball both ways, and he was also a very good exponent of reverse swing. Akram is the second-highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket history, with 502 wickets. He is also the bowler with the second-most wickets in ODI cricket victories, with 502.
Also Read: Highest Wicker Takers in World Cup 2023
3. Waqar Younis (PAK) : 416 wickets
Waqar Younis was another fast bowler from Pakistan who was known for his swing bowling. He was also a very good bouncer bowler. Younis is the third-highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket history, with 416 wickets. He is also the bowler with the third-most wickets in ODI cricket victories, with 416.
Also see: Fastest 50 wickets in ODI Cricket
4. WPUJC Vaas (Asia/SL) : 400 Wickets
Chaminda Vaas was a left-arm fast bowler from Sri Lanka who was known for his accuracy and consistency. He was also a very good death bowler. Vaas is the fourth-highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket history, with 291 wickets. He is also the bowler with the fourth-most wickets in ODI cricket victories, with 291.
Check Out: Most Hat Tricks in ODI Cricket History
5. Shahid Afridi (Asia/ICC/PAK) : 395 wickets
Shahid Afridi was a leg-spin bowling all-rounder from Pakistan. He was known for his explosive batting and his ability to take wickets against the best batsmen in the world. Afridi is the fifth-highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket history, with 395 wickets. He is also the bowler with the fifth-most wickets in ODI cricket victories, with 395.
6. SM Pollock (Afr/ICC/SA) : 393 Wickets
Shaun Pollock was a fast bowler from South Africa who was known for his accuracy and consistency. He was also a very good exponent of reverse swing. Pollock is the sixth-highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket history, with 393 wickets. He is also the bowler with the sixth-most wickets in ODI cricket victories, with 393.
7. GD McGrath (AUS/ICC) : 381 wickets
Glenn McGrath was a fast bowler from Australia who was known for his accuracy and consistency. He was also a very good exponent of swing bowling. McGrath is the seventh-highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket history, with 381 wickets. He is also the bowler with the seventh-most wickets in ODI cricket victories, with 381.
8. B Lee (AUS) : 380 wickets
Brett Lee was a fast bowler from Australia who was known for his raw pace and aggression. He was also a very good exponent of bouncer bowling. Lee is the eighth-highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket history, with 380 wickets. He is also the bowler with the eighth-most wickets in ODI cricket victories, with 380.
9. SL Malinga (SL) : 338 wickets
Lasith Malinga was a fast bowler from Sri Lanka who was known for his yorker bowling. He was also a very good exponent of slower balls. Malinga is the ninth-highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket history, with 338 wickets. He is also the bowler with the ninth-most wickets in ODI cricket victories, with 338.
10. A Kumble (Asia/IND) : 337 wickets
Anil Kumble was a leg-spin bowling all-rounder from India. He was known for his guile and his ability to bowl long spells. Kumble is the tenth-highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket history, with 337 wickets. He is also the bowler with the tenth-most wickets in ODI cricket victories, with 337.
