Most Wickets in International Cricket

Top 10 leading wicket-takers in international cricket:

1-      Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) - 1,347 wickets:
Muralitharan is widely regarded as one of the greatest spin bowlers in cricket history. He played for Sri Lanka from 1992 to 2011, taking 800 wickets in Test matches, 534 wickets in One Day Internationals (ODIs), and 13 wickets in Twenty20 Internationals (T20Is).



2-      Shane Warne (Australia) - 1,001 wickets:
Warne is considered one of the finest leg-spinners of all time. He represented Australia from 1992 to 2007, achieving 708 wickets in Test matches and 293 wickets in ODIs. 

He did not play T20Is.



3-      Anil Kumble (India) - 956 wickets:
Kumble is a former Indian cricketer known for his accurate and consistent leg-spin bowling. He played for India from 1990 to 2008, capturing 619 wickets in Test matches and 337 wickets in ODIs. He did not play T20Is.



4-      James Anderson (England) - 950* wickets:
Anderson is an active English cricketer known for his mastery of swing and seam bowling. As of May 2023, he has taken the most wickets by a fast bowler in Test cricket, surpassing Glenn McGrath's record. 

Anderson has also taken 269 wickets in ODIs and 15 wickets in T20Is.



5-       Glenn McGrath (Australia) - 949 wickets:
McGrath is regarded as one of the most successful fast bowlers in cricket history. He played for Australia from 1993 to 2007, claiming 563 wickets in Test matches and 381 wickets in ODIs. He did not play T20Is.



6-        Courtney Walsh (West Indies) - 935 wickets:
Walsh is a former West Indian cricketer who was known for his consistency and accuracy as a fast bowler. He represented the West Indies from 1984 to 2001, taking 519 wickets in Test matches and 227 wickets in ODIs. He did not play T20Is.



7-       Stuart Broad (England) - 885* wickets:
Broad is an active English cricketer known for his pace and ability to swing the ball. As of May 2023, he has taken over 500 Test wickets and has also claimed 178 wickets in ODIs and 7 wickets in T20Is.



8-        Wasim Akram (Pakistan) - 916 wickets:
Akram is regarded as one of the greatest left-arm fast bowlers in cricket history. He played for Pakistan from 1984 to 2003, achieving 414 wickets in Test matches and 502 wickets in ODIs. He did not play T20Is.

Test Cricket Career: Wasim Akram played Test cricket for Pakistan from 1985 to 2002. He appeared in 104 Test matches, taking 414 wickets at an impressive average of 23.62 runs per wicket. His wicket tally places him among the highest wicket-takers in Test cricket.

One-Day International (ODI) Career: Wasim Akram was a standout performer in ODIs, playing 356 matches and taking 502 wickets. At the time of his retirement, he held the record for the most wickets in ODI cricket, a record that was subsequently surpassed.

Hat-tricks: Wasim Akram is known for his skill in taking hat-tricks in both Test and ODI cricket. He is one of the few bowlers to achieve this feat in both formats.

Fastest to 500 Wickets in ODIs: Wasim Akram was the fastest bowler to reach 500 wickets in ODI cricket, achieving this milestone in just 356 matches.

World Cup Performances: Wasim Akram played a significant role in Pakistan's ICC Cricket World Cup victories in 1992 and was instrumental in leading the team to success. He was the Man of the Match in the 1992 World Cup final.

All-round Abilities: In addition to his exceptional bowling, Wasim Akram was also a useful lower-order batsman. He scored more than 3,000 runs in Test cricket and over 3,700 runs in ODIs.

Multiple Awards: Wasim Akram received numerous awards and accolades during his career, including the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Cricketer of the Year.

Pakistan's Leading Wicket-taker: At the time of his retirement, Wasim Akram was Pakistan's highest wicket-taker in both Test and ODI cricket.

Cricket Hall of Fame: In recognition of his outstanding contributions to cricket, Wasim Akram was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

Captaincy: Wasim Akram also served as the captain of the Pakistan cricket team at various points in his career, leading the team in both Test and ODI formats.



9-       Harbhajan Singh (India) - 711 wickets:
Harbhajan Singh is an off-spinner who represented India from 1998 to 2015. He took 417 wickets in Test matches and 269 wickets in ODIs. He also claimed 25 wickets in T20Is.



10-      Kapil Dev (India) - 687 wickets:
Kapil Dev is a former Indian cricketer and the captain of the Indian team that won the 1983 Cricket World Cup. He played from 1978 to 1994, taking 434 wickets in Test matches and 253 wickets in ODIs. He did not play T20Is.