Playing in the ICC ODI World Cup is no mean feat. And helping your team win the coveted trophy with your terrific performances is a silver lining on it.
Many talk about the batting performances, but few pay attention to the bowling performances. And as the saying goes — ‘Batters win you matches, bowlers win you tournaments’ — we can’t ignore them.
So, in this article, let’s take a look at the bowlers who picked up the most wickets in a single ODI World Cup.
Most Wickets in a Single ODI World Cup
| Player | Year | Innings | Wickets | BBI | Avg | 5-for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Starc (AUS) | 2019 | 10 | 27 | 5/26 | 18.59 | 2 |
| Glenn McGrath (AUS) | 2007 | 11 | 26 | 3/14 | 13.73 | 0 |
| Mohammed Shami (IND) | 2023 | 7 | 24 | 7/57 | 10.70 | 3 |
| Chaminda Vaas (SL) | 2003 | 10 | 23 | 6/25 | 14.39 | 1 |
| Muthiah Muralidaran (SL) | 2007 | 10 | 23 | 4/19 | 15.26 | 0 |
| Shaun Tait (AUS) | 2007 | 11 | 23 | 4/39 | 20.30 | 0 |
| Adam Zampa (AUS) | 2023 | 11 | 23 | 4/8 | 22.39 | 0 |
| Mitchell Starc (AUS) | 2015 | 8 | 22 | 6/28 | 10.18 | 1 |
| Trent Boult (NZ) | 2015 | 9 | 22 | 5/27 | 16.86 | 1 |
| Brett Lee (AUS) | 2003 | 10 | 22 | 5/42 | 17.90 | 1 |
Key Stats
27: The highest number of wickets taken by a bowler in any World Cup edition. Mitchell Starc holds the record for picking up the most wickets in a single edition of the Cricket World Cup. He surpassed Glenn McGrath’s tally of 26 wickets in the 2019 edition.
23: Muthiah Muralidaran and Shaun Tait grabbed the joint-most wickets in the 2007 edition. Their immeasurable bowling performances were instrumental in helping their respective countries — Sri Lanka and Australia — reach the finals.
22: Similarly, Starc and Trent Boult shared the top spot with 22 wickets each in the 2015 World Cup. Thanks to their immense contributions with the ball, Australia and New Zealand played the finals.
20: A total of 15 players have picked up 20 or more wickets in one edition of the ODI World Cup.
2: McGrath and Starc are the only 2 bowlers who have bagged more than 20 wickets in 2 World Cups. McGrath did it in 2003 and 2007, helping Australia clinch World Cup titles back-to-back. Starc, on the other hand, did so in 2015 and 2019, powering Australia to win the coveted trophy at home in 2015.
7: McGrath also holds the record for the best bowling figures in World Cup history, as he scalped 7 wickets off 15 runs against Namibia in 2003.
