Top 10 Wicket Takers in ODI Cricket: Records, Stats and Stories
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Who are the top 10 wicket takers in ODI cricket?
Who are the top 10 wicket takers in ODI cricket? Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan leads with 534 wickets. Pakistan’s Wasim Akram is second with 502. India’s Anil Kumble is tenth with 337.
Wickets win matches in the One Day International (ODI) format. A batter can score a hundred, but a bowler who strikes early can flip the whole game. That is why fans love to track the most ODI wickets in history.
In this guide, you will get the full list of the top 10 wicket takers in ODI cricket and the story behind each bowler. You will also learn who took the first ODI wicket, who took wickets in a recent ODI, which Indians feature, and who could join the list next.
Last updated: 9 October 2026
Top 10 Wicket Takers in ODI Cricket at a Glance
Here is the quick answer. These are the all-time leading wicket takers in ODI cricket.
| Rank | Bowler | Country | Wickets | Matches | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | 534 | 350 | 1993–2011 |
| 2 | Wasim Akram | Pakistan | 502 | 356 | 1984–2003 |
| 3 | Waqar Younis | Pakistan | 416 | 262 | 1989–2003 |
| 4 | Chaminda Vaas | Sri Lanka | 400 | 322 | 1994–2008 |
| 5 | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 395 | 398 | 1996–2015 |
| 6 | Shaun Pollock | South Africa | 393 | 303 | 1996–2008 |
| 7 | Glenn McGrath | Australia | 381 | 250 | 1993–2007 |
| 8 | Brett Lee | Australia | 380 | 221 | 2000–2012 |
| 9 | Lasith Malinga | Sri Lanka | 338 | 226 | 2004–2019 |
| 10 | Anil Kumble | India | 337 | 271 | 1990–2007 |
All ten bowlers have retired. So this list will only change if a current player climbs into it.
How Is a Top ODI Wicket Taker Decided?
The rule is simple. The ranking depends on total career wickets in official ODI matches.
Here is what counts:
- Credited wickets: bowled, caught, LBW, stumped and hit wicket.
- Not credited: run outs and retired out do not go to the bowler.
- Official matches only: only games with official ODI status from the ICC count. Unofficial games, such as “A” team ODIs, do not.
- Average and economy: these show quality, but they do not decide the rank.
So the top 10 wicket takers in ODI cricket are ranked by volume, not by style or average.
Details of the Top 10 Wicket Takers in ODI Cricket
1. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) – 534 Wickets
The off-spinner holds the highest wickets in an ODI career. He averaged 23.08 with an economy of 3.93. He also took 10 five-wicket hauls, the most by any spinner. He is 32 wickets clear of Wasim Akram.
2. Wasim Akram (Pakistan) – 502 Wickets
Wasim was the first bowler to reach 500 ODI wickets. His left-arm swing and sharp yorkers troubled every top batter of his time.
3. Waqar Younis (Pakistan) – 416 Wickets
Waqar took his wickets in just 262 matches. His reverse swing was deadly, and he holds the record for most five-wicket hauls in ODIs with 13.
4. Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka) – 400 Wickets
The left-arm seamer was famous for his tight lines. His average of 27.53 shows how steady he stayed for 14 years.
5. Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) – 395 Wickets
Afridi bowled quick leg-spin and also hit big sixes. He played 398 matches, the most of anyone in this top 10.
6. Shaun Pollock (South Africa) – 393 Wickets
Pollock hit the same spot ball after ball. His average of 24.50 shows how tight his bowling was. He was also a useful lower-order batter.
7. Glenn McGrath (Australia) – 381 Wickets
McGrath is Australia’s highest ODI wicket taker. He also holds the record for most wickets in the ODI World Cup.
8. Brett Lee (Australia) – 380 Wickets
Lee needed only 221 matches, the fewest in this group. His pace made him a nightmare in the powerplay.
9. Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) – 338 Wickets
Malinga’s slingy action and perfect yorkers made him a death-overs king. He played 226 matches in a long career.
10. Anil Kumble (India) – 337 Wickets
Kumble is the only Indian in this list. The leg-spinner averaged 30.89 and took his wickets in 271 matches. He is also the last bowler on the list, since he sits at tenth.
Who Are the Best ODI Bowlers of All Time?
“Best” is not only about wicket count. Fans also look at average, economy, big-match form and impact.
Here is how the debate usually goes:
- Muralitharan: the most wickets and a World Cup average under 20.
- Wasim Akram: a match-winner with both swing and pace.
- Waqar Younis: the most five-wicket hauls in ODIs, with 13.
- Glenn McGrath: known for pressure bowling in World Cup games.
- Shaun Pollock: great control and a steady average of 24.50.
Every list of the best ODI bowlers of all time includes most of these names. The top 10 wicket takers in ODI cricket and the greatest bowlers overlap a lot.
Who Took the First Wicket in ODI History?
Alan Thomson of Australia took the first wicket in ODI history. It happened on 5 January 1971 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
He dismissed England’s Geoff Boycott, who miscued a pull shot to Bill Lawry at square leg. Thomson finished with 1 for 22 in his eight overs.
That match was a surprise. Rain had wiped out the Test, so the two teams played a one-day game instead. You can read more in Wisden’s look back at fifty years of ODI cricket.
It was Thomson’s only ODI. He died in October 2022 at the age of 76.
Who Is the Youngest Wicket Taker in ODI Cricket?
Afghanistan’s Mujeeb Ur Rahman is the youngest bowler to take an ODI five-wicket haul. He was only 16 years and 325 days old when he did it against Zimbabwe in Sharjah in February 2018.
Rashid Khan is the youngest bowler to reach 100 ODI wickets. He got there in just 44 matches, which is also the fastest in history.
Youngest Indian to Take an ODI Five-Wicket Haul
Irfan Pathan is the youngest Indian to take a five-wicket haul in ODIs. He was 20 years and 306 days old when he took 5 for 27 against Zimbabwe in Harare in August 2005.
- Irfan Pathan: 5/27 at 20 years 306 days (2005)
- Harbhajan Singh: 5/43 at 21 years 215 days (2002)
- Javagal Srinath: 5/41 at 23 years 179 days (1993)
- Kuldeep Yadav: 6/25 at 23 years 210 days (2018)
Who Is the Latest Wicket Taker in ODI Cricket?
One of the most recent ODIs between full-member teams was the third match between India and West Indies at New Chandigarh on 3 October 2026. West Indies won by five wickets while chasing 352.
Jayden Seales was the best bowler of that match. He took 3 for 62, and Keemo Paul added 2 for 71.
Wickets keep falling in ODIs. But the top 10 wicket takers in ODI cricket stay the same until someone passes Kumble’s 337.
Indian Bowlers Among the Most ODI Wickets in History
Only one Indian, Anil Kumble, is inside the top 10 wicket takers in ODI cricket. But India has produced many strong ODI bowlers.
- Anil Kumble: 337 wickets
- Javagal Srinath: 315 wickets
- Ajit Agarkar: 288 wickets in just 191 games
- Zaheer Khan: 282 wickets
- Harbhajan Singh: 269 wickets
- Kapil Dev: 253 wickets
Some slightly lower numbers for Kumble (334), Zaheer (269) and Harbhajan (265). They count only matches played for India. The figures above are the overall ODI totals.
Ravindra Jadeja has also crossed 230 ODI wickets and is still playing. Srinath, Zaheer, Harbhajan and Kapil come close, but none have reached Kumble’s mark.
Love Indian cricket records? Read how many T20 World Cups India has won and how many times India won the Asia Cup.
Who Has the Most Wickets in ODI Cricket Among Active Players?
Mitchell Starc has the most ODI wickets among active players. He has 247 wickets, and he last played an ODI on 24 September 2026. You can track his numbers on his ESPNcricinfo profile.
Here are the active bowlers with the highest wickets in an ODI career:
- Mitchell Starc (Australia): 247 wickets
- Adil Rashid (England): 243 wickets
- Rashid Khan (Afghanistan): 226 wickets
Adil Rashid is only four wickets behind Starc, so this race is close. But none of them is inside the top 10 wicket takers in ODI cricket yet.
Who Can Enter the Top 10 Next?
The honest answer is that nobody is close right now. To join the top 10 wicket takers in ODI cricket, a bowler must pass Kumble’s 337.
Starc needs roughly 90 more wickets to do that. That is a big ask in a format where teams play fewer ODIs than before. Starc is 36, while Adil Rashid is 38.
Rashid Khan is the youngest of the three and looks like the best long-term bet. He took 100 ODI wickets faster than anyone in history. If he stays fit for another six to eight years, he can chase this list.
Starc is aiming at the 2027 ODI World Cup. Check when is the next cricket world cup and when is the next T20 World Cup for the dates.
What Makes the Top 10 Wicket Takers in ODI Cricket Special?
A few facts stand out:
- Pace rules: seven of the ten are fast or fast-medium bowlers.
- Three spinners: Muralitharan, Afridi and Kumble.
- Sri Lanka and Pakistan: each country has three bowlers in the list.
- Fewest matches: Brett Lee, with 221 games.
- Most matches: Shahid Afridi, with 398 games.
Also, every bowler here played for a long time. Consistency across 12 to 20 years is what separates them from the rest.
Why These Bowling Legends Still Rule ODI Cricket
The top 10 wicket takers in ODI cricket are all legends. Muralitharan sits on top with 534 wickets, and he looks safe for a long time. Kumble holds the tenth spot for India, and the active bowlers still have a long way to go.
If a new bowler breaks into the list, it will take years of fitness and form. Until then, this group of ten remains the gold standard for ODI bowling.