Batsmen get all the glory in cricket, but the real fans know that bowlers are the actual match winners. Taking wickets is an art, and every wicket is a turning point in a game. A single delivery can flip a match, silence a crowd, or ignite one. Wickets build pressure, and the bowlers who consistently take the most wickets in international cricket prove why bowling remains the backbone of the sport. These elite performers dominate across formats and conditions, becoming the true champions of the game and earning their place among players with the most wickets in international cricket.
In this top deep dive, we will talk about the top 10 players with the most wickets in all formats. We will also include format-wise tables (Tests/ODIs/T20s), a spinners vs pacers comparison, five-wicket hauls, and more.
Let’s get started!
Below is the list of players with the most wickets in all formats.
| Rank | Player | Country | Total Intl Wickets |
| 1 | Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | 1347 |
| 2 | Shane Warne | Australia | 1001 |
| 3 | James Anderson | England | 991 |
| 4 | Anil Kumble | India | 956 |
| 5 | Glenn McGrath | Australia | 949 |
| 6 | Wasim Akram | Pakistan | 916 |
| 7 | Stuart Broad | England | 847 |
| 8 | Shaun Pollock | South Africa | 829 |
| 9 | Waqar Younis | Pakistan | 789 |
| 10 | Tim Southee | New Zealand | 776 |
Now, we will take a look at a detailed analysis of the highest wicket takers in all formats.
Muttiah Muralitharan is the undisputed king of most wickets in international cricket . He is the highest wicket-taker in international cricket of all time. He has 1347 wickets in international cricket. His mysterious off-spin ability made him one of the hardest bowlers to face. He is also second on the list of most wickets in the World Cup.
Key highlights:
Shane Warne was the man who made leg spin cool again. He was the first bowler to reach the 700 wickets milestone in Test cricket. Ultimately, he finished his career with 1001 international wickets in his long career. He was a tactically brilliant bowler who could generate massive turn. This made him a nightmare for opposition batsmen. His achievements place him among the legends with the most wickets in international cricket .
Key Highlights:
James Anderson is the most prolific bowler in the history of Test matchesand a legend among players with the most wickets in international cricket. He is known as the King of the swing and has amassed 991 wickets in his international career. He had one of the longest careers as a fast bowler in the history of the game.
Key Highlights:
Anil Kumble is nicknamed “Jumbo” by fans and experts. He was the backbone of Indian cricket for around 20 years. He relied on bounce and relentless accuracy rather than traditional turn for his 956 wickets, placing him among players with the most wickets in international cricket. He was one of the greatest match winners in history.
Key highlights:
During his time, McGrath was the epitome of consistency in cricket. By taking 949 wickets, he firmly established himself among players with the most wickets in international cricket, proving that pace isn’t everything in cricket. His line and length made him almost impossible to score against. He is one of the greatest bowlers from Australia.
Key Highlights:
Wasim Akram, one of the greatest bowlers from Pakistan, is regarded as the “Sultan of Swing.” The Pakistani pacer finished his career with 916 international wickets. He used to move the ball at high speeds. It changed how the world viewed fast bowling in the modern era.
Key Highlights:
Stuart Broad was the bowler from England who could turn the game on its head in a single spell. He had a long international career and has taken 847 wickets. Broad, along with James Anderson, was one of the most successful bowling partnerships in the history of cricket. His record firmly places him among players with the most wickets in international cricket.
Key Highlights:
Shaun Pollock was the premier all-rounder for South Africa. He has incredible control over the ball and ended his career with 829 international wickets. He used to move the ball subtly from the seam.
Key Highlights:
Waqar Younis was a fast bowler from Pakistan who brought a new type of bowling to international cricket. His bowling can be characterized by a sprinting run-up and late-dipping yorkers. With this approach in cricket, he ended up with 789 wickets in his international career. He was the famous partner of Wasim Akram in the 90s and 2000s.
Key Highlights:
Southee is the leader of the current New Zealand bowling attack. He is known for his outswing and tactical intelligence. Currently, he has 776 wickets in international cricket. He is the only player on this list who is currently playing for his country. So, his tally of wickets might change in the future. This keeps him in conversations about the most wickets in international cricket.
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Also Read: 6 Ball 6 Wicket Record List – The Rarest Feat in Cricket History
Now, we will look at format-wise lists of players with the most international wickets.
This list includes the top names in world cricket who have taken the most wickets in the Test format and are also among those with the most wickets in international cricket.
| Rank | Bowler | Test Wickets |
| 1 | Muttiah Muralitharan | 800 |
| 2 | Shane Warne | 708 |
| 3 | James Anderson | 704 |
| 4 | Anil Kumble | 619 |
| 5 | Stuart Broad | 604 |
Taking wickets in ODI cricket is about consistency and death over skills. Muttiah Muralitharan leads the ODI bowling charts. Here is a look.
| Rank | Bowler | ODI Wickets |
| 1 | Muttiah Muralitharan | 534 |
| 2 | Wasim Akram | 502 |
| 3 | Waqar Younis | 416 |
| 4 | Chaminda Vaas | 400 |
| 5 | Shahid Afridi | 395 |
T20I cricket demands precision under pressure, and bowlers need to adapt according to the situation. Rashid Khan leads the T20I bowling charts and stands among players with the most wickets in international cricket in the modern era. His consistency and impact make him one of the greatest T20 bowlers of all time.
| Rank | Bowler | T20I Wickets |
| 1 | Rashid Khan | 182 |
| 2 | Tim Southee | 164 |
| 3 | Mustafizur Rahman | 158 |
| 4 | Ish Sodhi | 157 |
| 5 | Shakib Al Hasan | 149 |
In the list of the top 10 highest wicket takers in all formats, we have both spinners and pacers. However, spinners dominate the list at the very top. But there are fewer spin bowlers in this list.
The top 10 list of the highest wicket takers in international cricket contains three spinners and 7 fast bowlers. It means the pacers dominate the total counts.
The reason why pacers dominate in this list is that they often play across conditions and take wickets with the new ball and at the death in ODI and T20Is, which helps them feature prominently among players with the most wickets in international cricket.
In contrast, spinners top the list because great spinners can run through sides repeatedly and sustain wicket-taking over a long career.
There are a few names in world cricket who could scale these lists if they can sustain a long career. The players listed here have real potential to take the most wickets in a World Cup, or top the list of highest wicket takers in all formats.
The list of most wickets in international cricket isn’t just numbers – they’re the careers of some of the great players. These players built their careers on fearlessness, craft, and obsession.
From Murali’s spins to Anderson’s swing, and Warne’s skill to Waqar’s fast balls, these bowlers changed the game and showed what it truly means to win a match.
Read Next: Who is the Best Wicket Keeper in the World? Dhoni or Gilchrist
Ans: Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record with 1,347 wickets across formats.
Ans: James Anderson is the leading fast bowler with 991 wickets.
Ans: Muttiah Muralitharan leads Test cricket with 800 wickets.
Ans: Glenn McGrath is leading the charts in World Cups with 71 wickets.
Ans: Mitchell Starc, Jasprit Bumrah, and Kagiso Rabada are strong contenders.
