Highest Wicket Takers in ODI Cricket: All-Time Records

Two bowlers separated by continents and styles sit at the top of the ODI wicket-takers list: an off-spinner from Sri Lanka who bowled a delivery few could read, and a left-arm quick from Pakistan who helped invent reverse swing as a weapon. Between them, Muttiah Muralitharan and Wasim Akram took wickets across three decades of one-day cricket.

All-time highest wicket takers in ODIs

Bowler	Country	Career span	Notable for
Muttiah Muralitharan	Sri Lanka	1993–2011	Off-spin/doosra, unparalleled turn and variation
Wasim Akram	Pakistan	1984–2003	Left-arm pace, reverse swing pioneer
Waqar Younis	Pakistan	1989–2003	Toe-crushing yorkers, reverse swing
Chaminda Vaas	Sri Lanka	1994–2008	Left-arm seam, consistent throughout
Shahid Afridi	Pakistan	1996–2015	Leg-spin, high wicket rate across huge spell
Lasith Malinga	Sri Lanka	2004–2019	Round-arm slinger, lethal yorkers at death
Glenn McGrath	Australia	1993–2007	Line-and-length mastery, low economy
Brett Lee	Australia	2000–2012	Pace and aggression
Shaun Pollock	South Africa	1996–2008	Accuracy, movement both ways

Figures shift as active players add matches. Verify current tallies on ESPNcricinfo or the ICC site.

Muralitharan’s dominance

Murali built his tally on two deliveries: the standard off-break and the doosra, which spun the other way and left batters guessing which was coming. He took wickets at roughly the same rate at home in Colombo as he did on neutral pitches, and he did it while keeping his economy rate down, so captains could bowl him through the middle overs without bleeding runs.

Wasim Akram — the fast-bowling benchmark

A left-arm seamer sitting this close to the top of an ODI wickets list is unusual on its own. Akram got there with late swing, reverse swing with an old ball, and the versatility to open the bowling and then come back for the death overs. Most conversations about the best pace bowling in ODI history start with him.

What separates high wicket-takers

Sustained success in ODIs requires:

• Longevity — playing 200+ matches across a decade or more
• Wicket-taking ability — not just containing runs
• Adaptability — performing in flat conditions, different countries, and different eras
• Fitness — ODI careers can stretch 15+ years for the most durable bowlers

Active bowlers and the record

Cracking the top ten now means staying selected across many years, which is harder than it used to be. Murali’s total looks safe for a while: modern bowlers split their workload across three formats instead of two, and the format itself has gotten more batter-friendly, which pushes economy rates up and makes long careers as a strike bowler rarer.