There is a common saying that, cricket matches and tournaments are won by the team through their bowlers. It is no different when it comes to the ODI format.
Many bowlers have made a career by picking chunk of wickets for their team match after match and proved to be their vital match-winner during the day. Over time, these players became legends and an undeniable part of ODI history.
So, here are cricketers who have taken the most wickets in ODI cricket.
Most Wickets in ODI Cricket
| Player | Innings | Wickets | Average | 4w/5w |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muthiah Muralidaran (SL) | 341 | 534 | 23.08 | 15/10 |
| Wasim Akram (PAK) | 351 | 502 | 23.52 | 17/6 |
| Waqar Younis (PAK) | 258 | 416 | 23.84 | 14/13 |
| Chaminda Vaas (SL) | 320 | 400 | 27.53 | 9/4 |
| Shahid Afridi (PAK) | 372 | 395 | 34.51 | 4/9 |
| Shaun Pollock (SA) | 297 | 393 | 24.5 | 12/5 |
| Glenn McGrath (AUS) | 248 | 381 | 22.02 | 9/7 |
| Brett Lee (AUS) | 217 | 380 | 23.36 | 149 |
| Lasith Malinga (SL) | 220 | 338 | 28.87 | 11/8 |
| Anil Kumble (IND) | 265 | 337 | 30.89 | 8/2 |
You can also find the same list for T20Is and Tests in our respective blogs.
Key Insights on Leading Wicket Takers in ODI Cricket
All-Time Individual Bowling Records in ODIs
Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record for the most wickets in ODIs. He minted 534 wickets in 341 innings for Sri Lanka.
Pakistan’s Wasim Akram is the top wicket-taker among the pacers in ODIs, having taken 502 wickets in 351 outings.
Waqar Younis has claimed the most five-wicket hauls in ODIs, with 13 five-fors to his name.
Younis has also taken the most four-plus wicket hauls in this format, having claimed 27 in his career.
West Indies’ Joel Garner has the lowest bowling average and economy rate in ODIs, having claimed 146 wickets at 18.84 and 3.09 in 98 innings (minimum 1000 balls bowled).
Australia’s Ryan Harris has the best bowling strike rate in ODIs, having struck at 23.4 while taking 44 wickets in 20 outings.
Venue and Condition Specific Wicket Milestones in ODIs
Shakib Al Hasan has taken the most wickets at a single ground in ODIs. He has fetched 131 wickets in 89 innings at the Shere Bangla National Stadium in Dhaka.
Akram and Younis are the other two bowlers with 100-plus wickets at a single venue, having claimed 122 and 114 wickets, respectively, at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium.
Akram picked up 168 of his wickets in away ODIs. This is the most wickets by a bowler in away conditions in ODIs.
Shaun Pollock took 197 of his 393 wickets in South Africa, the most by a bowler at home in ODIs.
Match Impact and Leadership Achievements in ODIs
Muralitharan fetched 368 of his wickets in Sri Lanka’s wins. This is the most scalps by a bowler in winning causes in ODIs.
Akram has also taken the most wickets as a captain in ODIs, having claimed 158 scalps while leading Pakistan in 109 matches.
Chaminda Vaas, part of the 400-wicket club, has delivered the best bowling figures in ODIs. He returned 8 for 19 against Zimbabwe in the 2001 Colombo ODI.
Muralitharan has bagged the most wickets against an ODI team, having picked up 96 scalps in 63 innings against Pakistan. Akram follows him with 92 victims against Sri Lanka.
Top ODI Wicket-Taker in a Calendar Year
Pakistan’s Saqlain Mushtaq has snared the most wickets in a calendar year in ODIs. He took 69 scalps at an average of 18.73 in 34 innings in 1997.
Mushtaq is the only bowler to pick up 60-plus wickets in two years, with his other instance coming in 1996, when he took 65 scalps in 32 outings.
Read Next | Which two bowlers picked the first 50 ODI wickets within a year of debut?
