Most wickets by a bowler in cricket is not just a statistic, it’s a measure of dominance, consistency, and match-winning brilliance. In a sport where batting grabs headlines, it’s often the bowlers who quietly seal victories. After all, wickets win matches.
From fiery pacers to ultimate legendary spinners, the bowlers with the most international wickets have mastered the art of dismantling batting lineups across Test, T20, and ODI formats. Their names are recorded in history for delivering under pressure, turning games, and leading their teams to glory.
In this article, we present to you the Top 10 Bowlers with most wickets in international cricket, the legends who have ruled the game with the ball in hand. These champions have showcased their skills in every condition, against the best, and over decades.
Read this blog and dive into discovering the ultimate list of Most Wickets in International Cricket and celebrate the icons who have made bowling an art form.
Likes to read: List of Players With Most Runs in ODI Cricket
Contents
Most Wickets in International Cricket
Here is the list of bowlers across different nations, including several iconic cricketing legends like Muttiah Muralitharan, Shane Warne, Jimmy Anderson, and Anil Kumble, who have taken most wickets in international cricket across all formats of cricket (T20, ODI, Test).
| Sr. No | Player | Span | Wkt | Mat | Balls | Runs | BBI | 5W | 10W |
| 1 | M Muralitharan (SL) | 1992-2011 | 1347 | 495 | 63132 | 30803 | 9/51 | 77 | 22 |
| 2 | SK Warne (Aus) | 1992-2007 | 1001 | 339 | 51347 | 25536 | 8/71 | 38 | 10 |
| 3 | JM Anderson (Eng) | 2002-2024 | 991 | 399 | 49787 | 26922 | 7/42 | 34 | 3 |
| 4 | Anil Kumble (Ind) | 1990-2008 | 956 | 403 | 55346 | 28767 | 10/74 | 37 | 8 |
| 5 | GD McGrath (Aus) | 1993-2007 | 949 | 376 | 42266 | 20656 | 8/24 | 36 | 3 |
| 6 | Wasim Akram (Pak) | 1994-2003 | 916 | 460 | 40813 | 21591 | 7/119 | 31 | 5 |
| 7 | SCJ Broad (Eng) | 2006-2023 | 847 | 344 | 40980 | 23574 | 8/15 | 21 | 3 |
| 8 | SM Pollock (SA) | 1995-2008 | 829 | 423 | 40308 | 19673 | 7/87 | 21 | 1 |
| 9 | Waqar Younis (Pak) | 1989-2003 | 789 | 349 | 28922 | 18707 | 7/36 | 35 | 5 |
| 10 | TG Southee (NZ) | 2008-2024 | 768 | 390 | 33796 | 22598 | 7/33 | 20 | 1 |
1. Muttiah Muralidharan (Sri Lanka) – 1347
One of the greatest spinners in cricket history, Muttiah Muralitharan, has grabbed 1347 wickets across all formats and holds the record for the highest wicket-taker in international cricket. Muralitharan’s career spanned from 1992 to 2011.
He is also recognized as the nightmare of the batsmen with his unique bowling action, and skills combined with the ability to extract turn from any surface. His consistency, control, and mastery over off-spin made him one of the most feared bowlers in his time, especially in Test Cricket. He also holds the record for most wickets in Test cricket by any bowler.
| Total Wickets | 1347 |
| Test Wickets | 800 |
| ODI Wickets | 534 |
| T20I Wickets | 13 |
2. Shane Warne (Australia) – 1001
Shane Warne from Australia is another legendary spinner who dominated cricket with his bowling skills during his career. Mostly known for his charismatic personality and sharp leg-spins. Warne took a total of 1001 wickets across all formats.
His unbelievable magical ability to turn the ball sharply and his strategic mind allowed him to deceive even he bowls against the best batsmen in the world. He is still regarded as one of the best leg-spinners ever to play in cricket history.
| Total Wickets | 1001 |
| Test Wickets | 708 |
| ODI Wickets | 293 |
| T20I Wickets | — |
3. James Anderson (England) – 991
James Anderson, one of the finest bowlers of English cricket, is known mostly for swing deliveries. To date, Anderson has taken 991 wickets across all formats of cricket. He has the great ability to swing the balls in both ways made him one of the best seamers of all time in cricket history.
He made his debut in 2002 and has continued to surpass age and fitness expectations, performs consistently at its peak even in 40s. His mastery over the red ball, especially in English conditions made his one of the most feared fast bowlers in test cricket.
| Total Wickets | 990+ |
| Test Wickets | 700+ |
| ODI Wickets | 269 |
| T20I Wickets | 18 |
4. Anil Kumble (India) – 956
Anil Kumble, one of the finest spinners from India, stands out tall among cricket’s legendary bowlers, not just for his staggering tally, but for his grit, confidence, skill, and spirit he brought to the game. Kumble was not a big turner of a ball, but he mostly relied on his accuracy and subtle variations to baffle the batsmen.
Over a career spanning 18 years, he took 956 wickets across all formats. He is the second player in test history to take all 10 wickets in a single innings, a record he made against Pakistan in 1999.
| Total Wickets | 956 |
| Test Wickets | 619 |
| ODI Wickets | 337 |
| T20I Wickets | — |
5. Glenn McGrath (Australia) – 949
Glenn McGrath is one of Australia’s fast bowling legends, known for his accuracy, consistency. He is also the most aggressive and fastest bowler of all time. The Australian legendary quick bowler, Glenn McGrath’s dominance was a source of pride for his country in the late 1990s and 2000s.
Over a career spanning 14 years, he bagged 949 wickets in all forms of cricket. His incredible accuracy and consistency made him one of the toughest bowlers to face. He is a key figure in Australia’s World Cup triumphs in 1993, 2003, and 2007.
He was also the highest wicket-taker in World Cup history until it was recently surpassed.
| Total Wickets | 949 |
| Test Wickets | 563 |
| ODI Wickets | 381 |
| T20I Wickets | 5 |
6. Wasim Akram (Pakistan) – 916
Wasim Akram, the “Sultan of Swing”, from Pakistan, is one of the finest left-arm pacers; no one did it quite like him. The Pakistani legend have an incredible art of swing, especially reverse swing, with sheer pace, seam movement, and control, making him one of the most feared fast bowlers in the game.
Over a career that spanned nearly two decades, Akram’s ability to bowl toe-crushing yorkers, sharp bouncers, and late swingers earned him a place among the bowlers with the most wickets in international cricket, who bagged 916 wickets in all formats of cricket.
| Total Wickets | 916 |
| Test Wickets | 414 |
| ODI Wickets | 502 |
| T20I Wickets | — |
7. Stuart Broad (England) – 847
Stuart Broad is one of the fast-bowling sensations from England is known for his ability to bowl game-changing & aggressive spells under pressure. He became a key figure in England’s bowling unit across all formats.
His tall height and relentless aggression, and skill in using bounce made him particularly dangerous in home conditions. Whether it was his unforgettable moment when he took 8 for 15 at Trent Bridge or regularly breaking through top-order batters with the new ball, Broad consistently rose to the occasion.
His outstanding contributions helped England climb to the top of world cricket during his prime where grabbed a total of 847 wickets in all formats of cricket. When he retired in 2023, Broad became only one of two fast bolwers in test history to cross 600 wickets mark.
| Total Wickets | 847 |
| Test Wickets | 604 |
| ODI Wickets | 178 |
| T20I Wickets | 65 |
8. Shaun Pollock (South Africa) – 829
South Africa’s Shaun Pollock was known for his epitomized accuracy and consistency. He is one of South Africa’s most dependable pace bowlers. He combines swing, line, and length into a highly effective arsenal.
However didn’t have much pace, his accuracy and skill in moving the ball both ways made him a constant threat, especially on seaming tracks. Beyond his prowess, with the ball, Pollock was a highly capable lower-order batsmen, making himone of the finest seam bowling-all-rounders of his generation.
| Total Wickets | 829 |
| Test Wickets | 421 |
| ODI Wickets | 393 |
| T20I Wickets | 15 |
9. Waqar Younis (Pakistan) – 789
Waqar Younis, one of Pakistan’s most explosive fast bowlers renowned for his blistering pace and toe-crushing yorkers. A true match-winner, he regularly delivered game-changing spells, especially under pressure, and played a pivotal role in Pakistan’s pace attack across all formats.
His unique ability to generate reverse swing at high speed, combined with a low, skiddy action, made him lethal, particularly on subcontinent pitches. Whether it was dismantling batting line-ups with late movement or forming a fearsome duo with Wasim Akram, Waqar was a constant threat.
With 789 wickets in all formats, his impact on world cricket was immense. He was the youngest to reach 400 ODI wickets and remains one of the most iconic fast bowlers the game has seen.
| Total Wickets | 789 |
| Test Wickets | 373 |
| ODI Wickets | 416 |
| T20I Wickets | — |
10. Tim Southee (New Zealand) – 768
Tim Southee has been one of New Zealand’s most dependable fast bowlers, known for his ability to deliver crucial breakthroughs with the new ball and bowl smartly under pressure. A key pillar in New Zealand’s bowling unit for over a decade, Southee earned a reputation for his control, late swing, and ability to outfox batters across formats.
Blessed with a classical seam bowling action and a sharp cricketing brain, Southee proved especially dangerous in swinging conditions. From his memorable test debut, where he picked up a five-wicket haul, to consistent performances in ICC tournaments, Southee has always stood tall for his country.
With a career tally of 768 wickets, he is one of the leading New Zealand’s wicket-taker in international cricket. As, of 2025, he also became the first Kiwi pacer to to cross 350 wickets in test cricket.
