In One Day International (ODI) cricket there have been the greatest bowlers that game could ever see. Batsmen garner all the attention with centuries and record-breaking scores but the match changers are always bowlers with their crucial breakthroughs. In the annals of cricket history, several legendary bowlers have carved their place for over five decades by repeatedly nailing the world’s best batters.

This article includes the revised list for highest ODI wicket-takers, their records and career statistics if you are looking for most wickets in ODI cricket.

Top 20 Players with the Most Wickets in ODI Cricket

Rank	Player	Country	Matches	Wickets	Best Bowling
1	Muttiah Muralitharan	Sri Lanka	350	534	7/30
2	Wasim Akram	Pakistan	356	502	5/15
3	Waqar Younis	Pakistan	262	416	7/36
4	Chaminda Vaas	Sri Lanka	322	400	8/19
5	Shahid Afridi	Pakistan	398	395	7/12
6	Shaun Pollock	South Africa	303	393	6/35
7	Glenn McGrath	Australia	250	381	7/15
8	Brett Lee	Australia	221	380	5/22
9	Lasith Malinga	Sri Lanka	226	338	6/38
10	Anil Kumble	India	271	337	6/12
11	Javagal Srinath	India	229	315	5/23
12	Trent Boult	New Zealand	127+	220+	7/34
13	Mitchell Starc	Australia	135+	260+	6/28
14	Shakib Al Hasan	Bangladesh	250+	320+	5/29
15	Saqlain Mushtaq	Pakistan	169	288	5/20
16	Daniel Vettori	New Zealand	295	305	5/7
17	Ravindra Jadeja	India	210+	240+	5/36
18	Rashid Khan	Afghanistan	120+	200+	7/18
19	Mohammed Shami	India	110+	210+	7/57
20	Allan Donald	South Africa	164	272	6/23

Stats are updated through the latest available ODI matches in 2026.

Muttiah Muralitharan – The King of ODI Bowling

Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka has taken the most wickets in ODI cricket history He finished his ODI career with 534 wickets from 350 matches, by far the highest wicket-taker in One Day Internationals.

Murali had great variations, spin and was incredibly consistent. He regularly kept breaking crucial partnerships whether it be in the middle overs or during the death overs. His 7 for 30, remains one of the top bowling performances by any spinner in ODI.

Wasim Akram – The Sultan of Swing

Apart from Sachin, former Pakistan great Wasim Akram is second in the all-time list of ODI wicket takers, with 502 wickets in 356 ODIs.

Akram was the pioneer of reverse swing and yorkers that were lethal. He was as potent with the new ball as in his final bursts, and one of cricket’s biggest match-winners.

His composure in crunch situations contributed immensely to Pakistan’s fortunes through the 1990s, including its 1992 Cricket World Cup victory.

Waqar Younis – Master of Yorkers

The list of the top bowlers in ODIs include former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis who is fourth with 416 wickets.

Waqar, whose toe-crushing yorkers and savage speed saw him form one of cricket’s most feared bowling partnerships with Wasim Akram, His strike rate is still one of the best for bowlers with more than 400 ODI wickets.

Chaminda Vaas – Sri Lanka’s Swing Specialist

In addition, Chaminda Vaas also became the 4th bowler in ODI history to complete his 400 wickets. A remarkable achievement by this excellent fast/medium left arm!!

His best performance was to take 8 wickets for only 19 runs which is one of the best bowling figures in ODI cricket.

Vaas, for example, used swing and accuracy together with smart variations alongside express pace.

India’s Highest Wicket-Takers in ODI Cricket

Over the years, India has had many great ODI bowlers.

1. Anil Kumble

• Wickets: 337
• Matches: 271
• Best Figures: 6/12

Kumble is still the highest wicket-taking spinner for India in ODI cricket.

2. Javagal Srinath

Retired from the One Day International scene after accounting for 315 wickets, the former Indian pacer was India’s first made fast bowler with any real success in this.

3. Mohammed Shami

With his phenomenal seam bowling in tandem and brilliant outings in ICC tournaments, Shami is still climbing up the all-time list.

4. Ravindra Jadeja

Jadeja has matured into one of the world’s leading all-rounders, with a wealth of bestial bowling and handy wickets.

Australia’s Greatest ODI Wicket-Takers

Australia has constantly troubled opposition teams with their world-class fast bowlers.

Glenn McGrath

Although it was early in his career, McGrath picked up 381 wickets for Australia with an amazing consistency and accuracy over the course of just 250 matches.

Brett Lee

With pure pace and aggression, Brett Lee took 380 ODI wickets in his career as one of cricket’s fastest bowlers.

Mitchell Starc

Starc has become a bowler for the white balls that’s up there with Australia’s best. He is a constant wicket taker due to his knack with the new ball and deadly yorkers.

Pakistan’s Dominance in ODI Bowling

The great ODI wicket-taker has four of those runs for Pakistan.

• Wasim Akram
• Waqar Younis
• Shahid Afridi
• Saqlain Mushtaq

The one with reverse swing, the other a mystery spin; each of those bowlers bought something unique at what would go on to be one of cricket’s greatest bowling nations.

Best Bowling Figures in ODI History

However, some bowlers have stayed in the memory:

Player	Figures
Chaminda Vaas	8/19
Rashid Khan	7/18
Muttiah Muralitharan	7/30
Waqar Younis	7/36
Mohammed Shami	7/57

They are still one of the best exhibitions of match-winning bowling in ODIs.

Most ODI Wickets by Active Players (2026)

These bowlers who are active international cricketers to order go up in the rankings:

Player	Country	ODI Wickets
Shakib Al Hasan	Bangladesh	320+
Mitchell Starc	Australia	260+
Ravindra Jadeja	India	240+
Mohammed Shami	India	210+
Rashid Khan	Afghanistan	200+
Trent Boult	New Zealand	220+

These players all have many years of cricket ahead of them – making it very likely that they will climb even higher on the all-time list.

Interesting Facts About the Most Wickets in ODI

• Muttiah Muralitharan is the only bowler with 500 plus ODI wickets.
• Wasim Akram continues to be the ODI fast bowler with most wickets.
• 8/19 – Best bowling in an ODI innings – Chaminda Vaas
• Only Shahid Afridi is the second player with nearly 400 wickets and more than 8000 ODI Runs.
• Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath, to name a few, have joined the immensely popular club of bowlers who won 300 ODIs wickets for India.

Why ODI Wickets Matter

Wickets are the biggest contribution a bowler can give in ODI cricket. Regular breakthroughs not only restrict scoring but also build pressure and ultimately lead to the demise of teams in close matches. These bowlers from across eras, formats and conditions have been true masters of their craft.

Conclusion

On cricket’s biggest stage, the race for the most wickets in its oldest format turns into a head-to-head showcase between bowlers of past and present. With 534 wickets, Muttiah Muralitharan leads the all-time charts and no one is even close with legends like Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Chaminda Vaas, Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee, Anil Kumble and Shaun Pollock who left an everlasting mark on the sport. On the other hand, some big names are still playing and filling in their wickets tally; like Mitchell Starc, Mohammed Shami, Ravindra Jadeja, Rashid Khan and Shakib Al Hasan. So the record books you see below may not be as exciting for cricket lovers around the world!

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