Top 10 Wicket-Takers
Muttiah Muralitharan has taken the most wickets in men’s international cricket, with 1,347 across Tests, ODIs and T20Is. Shane Warne is second with 1,001 and James Anderson third with 991.
By CricketGatha · Updated 26 October 2026 · 12 min read
Great batters are remembered for their centuries, but bowlers can change a match just as completely. From Muralitharan’s spin to Wasim Akram’s swing and Glenn McGrath’s accuracy, international cricket has produced many outstanding wicket-takers. This guide covers the top 10, with their career statistics, records and defining moments.
Top 10 Highest Wicket-Takers in International Cricket
This table combines wickets taken in all three formats.
| Rank | Bowler | Country | Tests | ODIs | T20Is | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | 800 | 534 | 13 | 1,347 |
| 2 | Shane Warne | Australia | 708 | 293 | 0 | 1,001 |
| 3 | James Anderson | England | 704 | 269 | 18 | 991 |
| 4 | Anil Kumble | India | 619 | 337 | 0 | 956 |
| 5 | Glenn McGrath | Australia | 563 | 381 | 5 | 949 |
| 6 | Wasim Akram | Pakistan | 414 | 502 | 0 | 916 |
| 7 | Stuart Broad | England | 604 | 178 | 65 | 847 |
| 8 | Shaun Pollock | South Africa | 421 | 393 | 15 | 829 |
| 9 | Waqar Younis | Pakistan | 373 | 416 | 0 | 789 |
| 10 | Tim Southee | New Zealand | 391 | 221 | 164 | 776 |
Muralitharan is the only bowler in men’s international cricket with more than 1,300 wickets. A zero in the T20I column means the player took no T20I wickets, because several of them retired before T20 internationals became a regular part of the calendar.
Total international wickets
The Top 10 Profiled
1. Muttiah Muralitharan
- Most wickets in men’s international cricket, in Tests and in ODIs.
- 67 five-wicket hauls and 22 ten-wicket matches in Tests.
- Could bowl long spells without losing his effect, and his off-spin and doosra troubled both left- and right-handers.
Career highlight: He took his 800th Test wicket against India in Galle in July 2010, in his final Test.
2. Shane Warne
- First bowler to reach 700 Test wickets.
- 37 five-wicket hauls in Tests.
- Part of Australia’s 1999 World Cup-winning team.
- Used sharp turn, flight and changes of pace to outsmart batters, even on pitches with little help.
Career highlight: His delivery to Mike Gatting in the 1993 Ashes, known as the “Ball of the Century”.
3. James Anderson
- Most Test wickets by a fast bowler, and the first fast bowler to reach 700.
- One of the longest international careers among modern pacers.
- Built his game on swing in both directions, late movement and tight accuracy.
Career highlight: He reached 700 Test wickets against India in Dharamsala in March 2024.
4. Anil Kumble
- India’s highest international wicket-taker, and a former Test captain.
- 37 five-wicket hauls in Tests.
- Relied on accuracy, bounce and quicker deliveries rather than big turn.
Career highlight: He took all 10 wickets in Pakistan’s second innings in Delhi in February 1999, with figures of 10/74. At the time he was only the second bowler after Jim Laker to do it, and Ajaz Patel has since joined them.
5. Glenn McGrath
- Part of Australia’s World Cup-winning teams of 1999, 2003 and 2007.
- Took 26 wickets at the 2007 World Cup and was named Player of the Tournament.
- Rarely gave batters easy runs, using bounce, seam and a precise line and length.
Career highlight: He ended his international career after Australia’s 2007 World Cup win.
6. Wasim Akram
- First bowler to reach 500 ODI wickets.
- Helped Pakistan win the 1992 World Cup.
- Swung the ball both ways, bowled dangerous reverse swing and could land yorkers at will.
Career highlight: His bowling in the 1992 World Cup final helped Pakistan beat England and win their first ODI World Cup.
7. Stuart Broad
- Formed a famous Test partnership with James Anderson.
- Dangerous when he found rhythm and took wickets in quick succession.
- Retired from international cricket in 2023.
Career highlight: He took 8/15 against Australia at Trent Bridge in the 2015 Ashes, bowling them out for 60.
8. Shaun Pollock
- Former South Africa captain and a useful all-rounder.
- Effective even on pitches with little help, thanks to his control, seam movement and economy.
Career highlight: He finished his career with more than 800 international wickets.
9. Waqar Younis
- 35 five-wicket hauls across Tests and ODIs, including 13 in ODIs, the most in the format.
- Famous for pace, reverse swing and toe-crushing yorkers, especially with the older ball.
Career highlight: His partnership with Wasim Akram made Pakistan a feared bowling side in the 1990s.
10. Tim Southee
- New Zealand’s highest wicket-taker across the three formats combined.
- Former New Zealand Test captain, and part of the 2021 World Test Championship-winning team.
- Swung the new ball and used variations in limited-overs cricket.
Career highlight: He played an important role in New Zealand’s 2021 World Test Championship campaign.
Record Holders in Each Format
Most Test wickets
| Rank | Bowler | Country | Test wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | 800 |
| 2 | Shane Warne | Australia | 708 |
| 3 | James Anderson | England | 704 |
| 4 | Anil Kumble | India | 619 |
| 5 | Stuart Broad | England | 604 |
Test cricket rewards patience and consistency. Bowlers may need to deliver long spells over several days, on pitches that change as the match goes on.
Most ODI wickets
| Rank | Bowler | Country | ODI wickets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | 534 |
| 2 | Wasim Akram | Pakistan | 502 |
| 3 | Waqar Younis | Pakistan | 416 |
| 4 | Chaminda Vaas | Sri Lanka | 400 |
| 5 | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 395 |
An ODI bowler may need to take early wickets in the powerplay, control runs in the middle overs or bowl yorkers at the death, which makes it a different challenge from Tests.
Most T20I wickets
Afghanistan leg-spinner Rashid Khan leads men’s T20I wicket-taking, with well over 150 wickets. With only four overs per match, T20 bowlers get few chances, so they need variations, accuracy and calm under pressure. This leaderboard changes more often than the Test and ODI lists, because many of the leading T20I bowlers are still active.
Spin or Pace: Who Dominates the Top 10?
| Bowling type | Players in the top 10 |
|---|---|
| Spin (3) | Muralitharan, Warne, Kumble |
| Fast or seam (7) | Anderson, McGrath, Akram, Broad, Pollock, Waqar, Southee |
Spinners are especially important in long Test matches, where pitches wear. Fast bowlers use pace, swing, seam and bounce. Neither style is automatically better, because the right approach depends on conditions, format and the batter.
India’s Leading Wicket-Takers
Anil Kumble holds the record for the most international wickets by an Indian bowler, with 956 across Tests and ODIs. Ravichandran Ashwin finished his international career with 765.
| Indian bowler | Tests | ODIs | T20Is | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anil Kumble | 619 | 337 | 0 | 956 |
| Ravichandran Ashwin | 537 | 156 | 72 | 765 |
| Harbhajan Singh | 417 | 269 | 25 | 711 |
| Kapil Dev | 434 | 253 | 0 | 687 |
Among current Indian bowlers, read about Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja.
Top Fast Bowlers by International Wickets
| Bowler | Country | International wickets |
|---|---|---|
| James Anderson | England | 991 |
| Glenn McGrath | Australia | 949 |
| Wasim Akram | Pakistan | 916 |
| Stuart Broad | England | 847 |
| Shaun Pollock | South Africa | 829 |
Anderson’s career shows how swing, accuracy and consistency can matter as much as raw pace.
Why Wicket Records Differ Across Formats
Test cricket
A Test lasts up to five days, with two innings for each team, so bowlers can take many wickets in one match.
ODI cricket
An innings is generally limited to 50 overs, and a bowler can normally bowl a maximum of 10 overs.
T20I cricket
An innings is generally limited to 20 overs, and a bowler can normally bowl a maximum of four.
Because Tests offer more bowling opportunities, most leading all-format wicket-takers earned the majority of their wickets in that format. Combined totals are still a useful way to judge a bowler’s overall career.
Bowling Average, Economy Rate and Strike Rate
Wickets alone do not tell the full story. These three numbers are commonly used to compare bowlers.
Bowling average
Runs conceded ÷ Wickets taken
500 runs for 20 wickets gives an average of 25.00.
Economy rate
Runs conceded ÷ Overs bowled
40 runs in 8 overs gives an economy of 5.00.
Strike rate
Balls bowled ÷ Wickets taken
300 balls for 10 wickets gives a strike rate of 30.
Can Anyone Break Muralitharan’s Record?
Muralitharan’s 1,347 wickets would need a very long career, regular selection and consistent wicket-taking. Packed schedules, workload management and format specialisation make that harder for modern players. Australia’s Mitchell Starc is one of the leading bowlers outside the top 10, with about 770 international wickets, but even he would need hundreds more to catch Muralitharan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has taken the most wickets in international cricket?
Muttiah Muralitharan, with 1,347 wickets across Tests, ODIs and T20Is.
Who is the highest wicket-taker in Test cricket?
Muralitharan, with 800 wickets in 133 matches.
Who has taken the most ODI wickets?
Muralitharan leads with 534 wickets, ahead of Wasim Akram (502).
Who has taken the most wickets in T20Is?
Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan leads the men’s T20I wicket-taking list.
Who is the highest wicket-taker for India?
Anil Kumble, with 956 international wickets across Tests and ODIs.
Who is the highest wicket-taking fast bowler?
James Anderson, with 991 international wickets.
How many international wickets did Shane Warne take?
1,001, including 708 in Tests and 293 in ODIs.
How many wickets did Wasim Akram take?
916 international wickets: 414 in Tests and 502 in ODIs.
Who has taken all 10 wickets in a Test innings?
Jim Laker, Anil Kumble and Ajaz Patel.
Who has the most five-wicket hauls in international cricket?
Muralitharan, with 77 across Tests and ODIs (67 in Tests).
Are IPL wickets included in international records?
No. Only official Test, ODI and T20I wickets count towards the combined international total.
How many bowlers have taken 1,000 international wickets?
Two: Muralitharan and Warne. James Anderson finished on 991.
Is the most wickets enough to decide the greatest bowler?
Not always. Bowling average, strike rate, economy, match impact, opposition and conditions all matter as well.
Conclusion
Muttiah Muralitharan remains the highest wicket-taker of all time with 1,347 wickets, followed by Shane Warne with 1,001 and James Anderson with 991. Kumble, McGrath, Akram and the others complete a list that shows how patience, accuracy and skill can pay off over many years. New bowlers may climb the rankings, but Muralitharan’s record is one of the hardest in the sport to break.
Who do you think is the greatest bowler in cricket history: Muralitharan, Warne, Anderson, Kumble or someone else? Share your opinion in the comments.
