Most ODI Wickets of All Time — The Complete Leaderboard
One-Day International cricket has always belonged to the bowlers who can strike at crucial moments, hold their nerve under pressure, and deliver across hundreds of matches spanning a full career. The all-time ODI wicket-taking chart is a roll call of the most feared names in the sport's history — fast bowlers who made batsmen flinch, spinners who tied them in knots, and all-rounders who turned matches on their head.
The leaderboard below is drawn from the CricMind global cricket database, covering ball-by-ball records across the modern ODI era.
The All-Time ODI Wicket-Takers Leaderboard
| Rank | Player | Country | Wickets | Matches | Wkts/Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SL Malinga | Sri Lanka | 322 | 208 | 1.55 |
| 2 | Shakib Al Hasan | Bangladesh | 258 | 210 | 1.23 |
| 3 | B Lee | Australia | 257 | 153 | 1.68 |
| 4 | JM Anderson | England | 250 | 177 | 1.41 |
| 5 | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 242 | 205 | 1.18 |
| 6 | MA Starc | Australia | 239 | 126 | 1.90 |
| 7 | AU Rashid | England | 233 | 153 | 1.52 |
| 8 | MG Johnson | Australia | 226 | 146 | 1.55 |
| 9 | RA Jadeja | India | 225 | 203 | 1.11 |
| 10 | TG Southee | New Zealand | 215 | 151 | 1.42 |
| 11 | Mashrafe Mortaza | Bangladesh | 209 | 175 | 1.19 |
| 12 | TA Boult | New Zealand | 206 | 110 | 1.87 |
| 13 | Mohammed Shami | India | 200 | 105 | 1.90 |
| 14 | DW Steyn | South Africa | 193 | 123 | 1.57 |
| 15 | KMDN Kulasekara | Sri Lanka | 192 | 177 | 1.08 |
The Names at the Top
Lasith Malinga — 322 Wickets in 208 Matches
The Sri Lankan yorker king sits at the summit. Malinga's round-arm slinging action produced one of the most unplayable deliveries in white-ball cricket — a toe-crushing, stumps-rattling yorker that batsmen knew was coming and still could not keep out. His 322 wickets across 208 ODIs came at a strike rate of 1.55 wickets per match, a remarkable figure for a bowler who spent much of his career operating at the death, where economy is harder to maintain than wicket-taking.
Malinga is the only bowler in ODI history to take four wickets in four consecutive deliveries — a feat he achieved against South Africa in 2007. He repeated a hat-trick against Kenya at the same World Cup, cementing his reputation as a big-stage performer. His mastery of variations — slower bouncer, off-cutter, and that lethal yorker — made him a template for the modern death bowler.
Shakib Al Hasan — 258 Wickets in 210 Matches
Bangladesh's greatest cricketer features prominently among the all-time leaders, and his 258 wickets tell only part of the story. Shakib Al Hasan is the consummate all-rounder — a left-arm orthodox spinner who extracts turn, bounce, and subtle variation from any surface. His 210-match ODI career has been defined by consistency rather than individual spells; he rarely goes wicketless and often breaks partnerships at critical junctures.
What makes Shakib's record more impressive is context. Bangladesh played a significant portion of their ODI cricket on flat, spin-unfriendly surfaces in Dhaka and Chittagong. His wickets have come through guile, accuracy, and an unrelenting competitive edge that defines Bangladesh cricket.
Brett Lee — 257 Wickets in 153 Matches
The Australian speedster's 257 wickets in just 153 matches yield a wickets-per-match ratio of 1.68 — among the best on the leaderboard. Brett Lee combined genuine pace (regularly clocking 150+ km/h) with a lethal bouncer and a deceptive slower ball. He was a World Cup winner in 2003 and a fixture of one of the most dominant ODI sides in history.
Lee's economy in death overs was often secondary to his ability to take wickets — he was an attacking, wicket-seeking bowler first and foremost. His partnership with Glenn McGrath gave Australia arguably the most feared new-ball pairing the ODI format has produced.
The Strike Rate Kings
Raw wicket tallies tell one story. Wickets-per-match ratios tell another — one of efficiency and impact per appearance. Three bowlers on the leaderboard stand out:
- Mitchell Starc — 239 wickets in 126 matches (1.90 per match)
- Mohammed Shami — 200 wickets in 105 matches (1.90 per match)
- Trent Boult — 206 wickets in 110 matches (1.87 per match)
Mitchell Starc and Mohammed Shami share the highest wickets-per-match rate at 1.90 — meaning they averaged nearly two wickets every time they played. Both are strike bowlers in the purest sense: express pace, aggressive lengths, and a knack for early breakthroughs.
Starc, in particular, has been devastating in ICC tournaments. His left-arm angle creates unique challenges for right-handed batsmen, and his ability to swing the new ball at 145+ km/h makes him one of the most dangerous opening bowlers in ODI history.
Boult's 1.87 is no less remarkable. The New Zealand left-armer's ability to swing the ball both ways, combined with an exemplary length, has made him one of the most consistent wicket-takers in the modern game. His 206 wickets in just 110 matches reflect a career of high-impact performances.
Pace vs Spin — The Balance of Power
The leaderboard is dominated by fast bowlers, but several spinners hold prominent positions:
| Bowler | Type | Wickets | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shakib Al Hasan | Left-arm orthodox | 258 | 210 |
| Adil Rashid | Leg-spin | 233 | 153 |
| Ravindra Jadeja | Left-arm orthodox | 225 | 203 |
| Kuldeep Yadav | Left-arm wrist spin | 191 | 116 |
| Adam Zampa | Leg-spin | 191 | 114 |
| Muttiah Muralitharan | Off-spin | 190 | 124 |
Adil Rashid has emerged as England's most successful limited-overs spinner, with 233 wickets in 153 matches. His leg-spin, combined with a potent googly and a skidding slider, has been central to England's white-ball revolution.
The presence of Muttiah Muralitharan — the greatest Test wicket-taker in history — at 190 in this archive underscores the different demands of the ODI format. Muralitharan's extraordinary control and variation made him lethal in any format, but his ODI legacy is one of sustained excellence over a long career.
Country-by-Country Breakdown
The leaderboard reveals which nations have produced the most prolific ODI bowlers:
- Australia — 4 bowlers in top 20 (Lee, Starc, Johnson, Zampa)
- Sri Lanka — 3 bowlers (Malinga, Kulasekara, Muralitharan)
- New Zealand — 3 bowlers (Southee, Boult, Mills)
- India — 3 bowlers (Jadeja, Shami, Kuldeep Yadav)
- England — 2 bowlers (Anderson, Rashid)
- Bangladesh — 2 bowlers (Shakib, Mashrafe Mortaza)
- Pakistan — 1 bowler (Shahid Afridi)
- South Africa — 2 bowlers (Steyn, Morkel)
Australia's dominance is unsurprising given their sustained period of ODI excellence from the late 1990s through the 2020s. Their quartet of Lee, Starc, Johnson, and Zampa represents a conveyor belt of world-class bowling talent spanning three decades.
The 200-Wicket Club
Reaching 200 ODI wickets is a landmark that separates the great from the truly elite. Thirteen bowlers in the ball-by-ball archive have crossed this threshold:
Malinga (322), Shakib (258), Lee (257), Anderson (250), Afridi (242), Starc (239), Rashid (233), Johnson (226), Jadeja (225), Southee (215), Mashrafe (209), Boult (206), and Shami (200).
Of these, Shami reached the milestone in the fewest matches — just 105 — a testament to his extraordinary strike rate. By comparison, Shakib needed 210 matches and Jadeja 203, reflecting their roles as containing all-rounders rather than out-and-out strike bowlers.
What the Numbers Show
The evolution of ODI bowling is visible in the leaderboard. The older generation (Lee, Anderson, Afridi) built their tallies through longevity and volume of matches. The modern generation (Starc, Shami, Boult, Kuldeep) are taking wickets at a faster rate per match — reflecting both the improved fitness demands of modern cricket and the tactical emphasis on wicket-taking over containment in the middle overs.
The rise of wrist-spinners (Kuldeep Yadav with 191 in 116 matches, Adam Zampa with 191 in 114 matches) is another defining trend. Once a rarity in ODI cricket, wrist-spin has become a primary attacking weapon, and both Kuldeep and Zampa have strike rates that rival the best fast bowlers.
FAQ
Who has taken the most wickets in ODI cricket?
In the CricMind ball-by-ball archive, Lasith Malinga of Sri Lanka leads with 322 wickets in 208 ODI matches. His mastery of yorkers and death-over variations made him the most lethal ODI bowler of his generation.
Which bowler has the best wickets-per-match ratio in ODIs?
Among bowlers with 100+ matches, Mitchell Starc and Mohammed Shami share the best ratio at 1.90 wickets per match. Starc achieved 239 wickets in 126 matches, while Shami reached 200 in 105 matches.
Who is the leading spinner on the all-time ODI wickets list?
Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh holds the top spinner position with 258 wickets in 210 ODI matches. His left-arm orthodox spin combined with his batting prowess makes him one of the greatest all-rounders in ODI history.
How many bowlers have taken 200 or more ODI wickets?
Thirteen bowlers in the ball-by-ball archive have crossed the 200-wicket mark in ODIs: Malinga (322), Shakib (258), Lee (257), Anderson (250), Afridi (242), Starc (239), Rashid (233), Johnson (226), Jadeja (225), Southee (215), Mashrafe (209), Boult (206), and Shami (200).