Top 10 Highest Wicket Takers In International Cricket

Top 10 Highest Wicket Takers In International Cricket: Bowling Maestros, well that is what you call the masters of over 600+ international wickets. Some even went on to over 1300 wickets in their career which speaks of the utter tremor they would create with the ball. After all, it is the due presence of such magicians with the ball that make Cricket count to an extent as a balanced game instead of Batsman’s game. When you talk about the magicians, as a cricket fanatic, one must be curious to know about the best in the business, considering everything as a whole. So, in order to satisfy the curiosity, let us take a glance at the Top 10 Highest Wicket Takers In International Cricket: 10 – Brett Lee (Australia) 718 wickets: Brett Lee. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Perhaps one of the most loved cricketers, Brett Lee makes into the list. By the possession of an impressive bowling action, followed by his energy levels on the field, Brett Lee was a player to watch for in most of the games played by Australia. He has struck 380 ODI wickets followed by 310 test wickets. Lee was also a member of the World Cup winning squad of Australia in 2003 and 2007. Also Read – Top 10 Teams With Most International Wickets 9 – Courtney Walsh (West Indies) 746 wickets: Courtney Walsh (Photo Source: Getty Images) The former fierce pacer of West Indies was undoubtedly one of the best in the business. But his impact as a deadly bowler was far more predominant in tests where this pacer had managed to strike 519 wickets as compared to ODIs where he picked 227 wickets. Walsh framed the spearhead of the West Indian attack and was quite much capable of destructing the opposition in a single handed fashion. 8 – Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka) 761 wickets: Chaminda Vaas. (Photo Source: Reuters ) The former Sri Lankan is the second left arm pacer to feature in this list. Vaas was perhaps one of the most reliable and best pacers Sri Lanka has ever produced. Vaas made into the list with 355 test wickets alongside 400 ODI wickets. Also, he has got an ODI hat-trick to be proud of and was capable of causing tremors to the opposition with his bowling class. 7 – Waqar Younis (Pakistan) 789 wickets: Waqar Younis. (Photo Source: Reuters) Waqar Younis the former Pakistan skipper and one of the best pacers that international cricket was blessed to have, certainly has to be a part of all the major lists discussing about bowling. At a time during the late 90s, the Pakistani bowling attack was regarded as the most deadly attack due to the presence of bowlers like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Shoaib Akhtar and Saqlain Mushtaq. Waqar has bagged a total of 416 ODI wickets backed by 373 test wickets. 6 – Shaun Pollock (South Africa) 829 wickets: Shaun Pollock. (Photo Source: AFP) The former South African bowling all-rounder was perhaps one of the most stunning and equally consistent medium pacers of all time. Pollock was even more dangerous as an ODI bowler as he claimed 393 wickets in the format, while he bagged 421 in tests. Apart from being a sensational medium pacer for South Africa, Pollock was handy batsman too batting lower down the order. 5 – Wasim Akram (Pakistan) 916 wickets: Wasim Akram. (Photo Source: PA Photos ) The left arm swinging legend from Pakistan, the master of reverse swing, the bowler who could swing the ball both ways makes into the list at the fifth position with 916 wickets from 460 international matches. Wasim Akram also stands as the second highest wicket taker in ODIs with 502 wickets. The maestro also possesses 414 test wickets by his name. The former Pakistani captain still remains as perhaps the best left handed seamer of all time. Also Read – Top 10 Teams with Most Wickets in ODI Cricket 4 – Glenn McGrath (Australia) 949 wickets: Glenn McGrath. (Photo Source: Reuters) One of the most deadly fast bowlers of all times with the simplest bowling action, Glenn McGrath comes fourth in the list with 949 international wickets. The right arm pacer has got 563 test wickets along with 381 ODI wickets. McGrath was the spearhead of the Australian attack for over a decade and was part of 3 World Cup winning squads for Australia i.e. in 1999, 2003 and 2007. 3 – Anil Kumble (India) 956 wickets: Anil Kumble (Photo Source: AFP) The leading wicket taker of India, the bowler who started his career as a medium pacer and retired as one of the best leg spinners of the world holds good stand as one of the leading wicket takers in all the formats. Anil Kumble had taken 619 and 337 wickets in tests and ODIs respectively. And he holds the unique record of grabbing each of the 10 wickets of the opposition in a test innings against Pakistan. Jumbo’s figures in that innings read- 10/74. 2 – Shane Warne (Australia) 1001 wickets: Shane Warne. (Photo Source: Getty Images) Following the legendary offie, is the legendary leggie. The second highest wicket taker in tests stands firm in the list of the highest wicket takers considering all the formats. The deliverer of the ball of the century, Shane Warne took these wickets in a total of 339 international matches with 38 fifers at an average of 25.51. Warne has till date been the best leg-spinner in international cricket and there have been no similes to the great man. 1 – Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) 1347 wickets: Muttiah Muralitharan. (© Getty Images) The spinning legend, the master of the off-spin remains the King of Kings when it comes to bowling and taking wickets. In fact, Muralitharan has played the anchor spinning role for Sri Lanka for almost over a decade. The former off-spinner played in 495 international matches and grabbed a total of 77 fifers. Also, he is the leading wicket taker in both tests and ODIs with 800 and 534 wickets respectively. Can anyone ever break Murli’s record? though debatable but probably the toughest question. Also Read – Top 10 Teams with Most Wickets in Test Cricket (All Stats Updated Till 8th October, 2015)