Reaching 100 wickets in any form of cricket is quite special, as it shows a bowler’s effectiveness in the long run. It means that the bowler is consistent, and it also gives their confidence a huge boost.
Confidence in cricket is important for a spinner, as they have the ability to change the game on its head through an impactful spell and, at the same time, can go for runs when the day is not theirs.
So picking up regular wickets keeps them going, and the spinners are an essential cog for a bowling team in the middle overs of an ODI innings. This is the phase where batters consolidate, and a great spinner will find ways to take wickets.
So here are the top 10 spinners who have taken the fastest 100 wickets in ODIs. Though it is a personal milestone, the success of the team because of this achievement will be quite high.
Fastest Spin Bowlers to 100 ODI Wickets
Player | Matches to 100 Wickets | Time Taken |
---|---|---|
Sandeep Lamichanne (NEP) | 42 | 4y 263d |
Rashid Khan (AFG) | 44 | 2y 158d |
Saqlain Mushtaq (PAK) | 53 | 1y 225d |
Kuldeep Yadav (IND) | 58 | 2y 208d |
Imran Tahir (SA) | 58 | 5y 112d |
Shane Warne (AUS) | 60 | 3y 257d |
Yuzvendra Chahal (IND) | 60 | 5y 240d |
Ajantha Mendis (SL) | 63 | 5y 107d |
Adam Zampa (AUS) | 65 | 6y 51d |
Adil Rashid (ENG) | 67 | 8y 293d |
Key insights from the above stats
8: Of the 10 spin bowlers to have taken 100 ODI wickets the quickest, 8 of them are leg spinners, and only 2 are off spinners.
42: Nepal’s Sandeep Lamichanne has taken the fewest games in ODI history to go past the 100-wicket mark, has one of the lowest strike rates for any bowler who has taken over 100 wickets, and has one of the lowest bowling averages.
53: Saqlain Mushtaq was the 3rd fastest to 100 ODI wickets and became the fastest to breach the 250 wickets landmark in due course.
2: Only 2 bowlers in ODI history have taken 100 or more wickets in less than 50 matches thus far. One is Sandeep, and the other player to do so is Rashid Khan. The Afghan spinner did so in 44 games and is now on the verge of becoming one of the quickest to reach 200 wickets as well.
2: Only Australia and India have more than 1 spinner on this list. Legendary Shane Warne took just 60 games to breach this landmark, while Adam Zampa did so in 65 games. From India, it is the current spin duo of Kuldeep and Yuzvendra Chahal.
27.32: Ajantha Mendis’ ODI bowling strike rate is the 2nd lowest among any spinner in this format, with 152 wickets to his name.