Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record for the most wickets in Test cricket, with a total of 800 wickets. He also has the most five-wicket hauls (67) and the most ten-wicket hauls (22). His 16 for 220 against England in 1998 is one of the best match figures in Test history.
Ravichandran Ashwin became the fastest to reach 300 Test wickets, doing so in just 54 matches, while Kagiso Rabada reached the same mark in the fewest deliveries (11,817). Among all who have taken over 300 wickets, Malcolm Marshall has the best bowling average (20.94), and Lance Gibbs remains the most economical with 1.98 runs per over. Rabada also holds the best strike rate (38.5 balls per wicket).
In One Day Internationals, Muttiah Muralitharan again leads with 534 wickets and 10 five-wicket hauls. Glenn McGrath has the best bowling average (22.02) among bowlers with 300+ wickets, and Brett Lee achieved the milestone in the fewest matches (171). Shaun Pollock is the most economical (3.67 runs per over), and Lee has the best strike rate (29.4 balls per wicket).
Chaminda Vaas’s 8 for 19 against Zimbabwe in 2001 remains the only eight-wicket haul in ODI history, and Waqar Younis’s 13 five-wicket hauls are the most in ODIs. Shakib Al Hasan is currently the only active player with over 300 ODI wickets.
List of Bowlers with the Most Wickets in ICC World Cup Tournament
The record for most wickets in ICC Cricket World Cup history belongs to Glenn McGrath of Australia. He took 71 wickets between 1996 and 2007, with an exceptional bowling average of 18.19 and an economy rate of 3.96. His best bowling figure was 7 for 15 against Namibia in 2003.
Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka follows McGrath in the list for Most Wickets in ICC World Cup Tournament, with 68 wickets across five World Cups (1996–2011), with an economy rate of 3.88.
Mitchell Starc from Australia is next with 65 wickets in just 28 matches (2015–2023), including three five-wicket hauls. His strike rate of 22.44 is one of the best in tournament history.
Lasith Malinga of Sri Lanka took 56 wickets with his unique sling action and four-wicket bursts, while Mohammed Shami of India, despite playing only 18 matches, has an incredible 55 wickets at an average of 13.52 and a strike rate of 15.81, the best among all.
Wasim Akram of Pakistan played from 1987 to 2003, taking 55 wickets in 38 matches. His best bowling was 5 for 28, and he took two four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul.
Trent Boult of New Zealand claimed 53 wickets in 29 matches with an average of 25.54 and an economy of 4.92. His best figures were 5 for 27, including three four-wicket and one five-wicket haul.
Chaminda Vaas of Sri Lanka played from 1996 to 2007, taking 49 wickets in 31 matches at an average of 21.22 and an economy of 3.97. His best bowling was 6 for 25, and he recorded one four-wicket and one five-wicket haul.
| Player | Innings | Wickets | BBI | Economy | Span |
| Glenn McGrath (AUS) | 39 | 71 | 7/15 | 3.96 | 1996-2007 |
| Muthiah Muralidaran (SL) | 39 | 68 | 4/19 | 3.88 | 1996-2011 |
| Mitchell Starc (AUS) | 28 | 65 | 6/28 | 5.15 | 2015-2023 |
| Lasith Malinga (SL) | 28 | 56 | 6/38 | 5.51 | 2007-2019 |
| Mohammed Shami (IND) | 18 | 55 | 7/57 | 5.13 | 2015-2023 |
| Wasim Akram (PAK) | 36 | 55 | 5/28 | 4.04 | 1987-2003 |
| Trent Boult (NZ) | 29 | 53 | 5/27 | 4.92 | 2015-2023 |
| Chaminda Vaas (SL) | 31 | 49 | 6/25 | 3.97 | 1996-2007 |
FAQs
Q. Which bowler has claimed the most wickets in history?
A. The record for the most Test wickets in cricket history is 800, held by Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka.
Q. Who in a single match claimed seven wickets?
A. In his October 2025 Ranji Trophy comeback match, Mohammed Shami claimed seven wickets.
Q. In the ICC finals, who has taken the most wickets?
A. Mitchell Starc leads all players in the ICC finals, with eleven wickets.
Q. In international cricket, who has taken 1,000 wickets?
A. Muttiah Muralitharan was the first player to reach 1,000 international wickets, followed by Shane Warne.
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