One Day International cricket has given the world some of its greatest bowlers, and Pakistan has produced more legends on this list than almost any other country. With Pakistan’s ODI tri-series against England and Sri Lanka running in Rawalpindi and Lahore from 18 to 31 October 2026, fans are once again debating the all-time greats. Here is the complete list of the bowlers with the most wickets in ODI cricket, with matches played, a short profile of each legend, and a special section on Pakistan’s top ODI wicket-takers.
Figures are career totals in men’s ODIs as recorded by major cricket statistics databases. Totals for some players include matches for combined teams such as the Asia XI or ICC World XI.
Most Wickets in ODI Cricket: All-Time Top 10 List
| Rank | Bowler | Country | Matches | Wickets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | 350 | 534 |
| 2 | Wasim Akram | Pakistan | 356 | 502 |
| 3 | Waqar Younis | Pakistan | 262 | 416 |
| 4 | Chaminda Vaas | Sri Lanka | 322 | 400 |
| 5 | Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 398 | 395 |
| 6 | Shaun Pollock | South Africa | 303 | 393 |
| 7 | Glenn McGrath | Australia | 250 | 381 |
| 8 | Brett Lee | Australia | 221 | 380 |
| 9 | Lasith Malinga | Sri Lanka | 226 | 338 |
| 10 | Anil Kumble | India | 271 | 337 |
Just outside the top 10 are Sanath Jayasuriya (323) and Shakib Al Hasan (317). Three of the top five are Pakistanis, which shows how strong Pakistan’s bowling tradition has been.
Statistics are accurate to the best of our knowledge as of October 2026. Totals of active players change with every match.
Profiles of the Top ODI Wicket-Takers
1. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) – 534 wickets
The off-spinner with the famous wrist action is the only bowler with more than 500 wickets in both Tests and ODIs. His ability to turn the ball on any surface made him a nightmare for batters for almost two decades, and he played a big role in Sri Lanka’s strong ODI teams of the 2000s.
2. Wasim Akram (Pakistan) – 502 wickets
The “Sultan of Swing” was the first bowler to reach 500 ODI wickets. A left-arm fast bowler who could swing the new ball and reverse the old one, Wasim was the hero of Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup final win in Melbourne, where his two famous deliveries to Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis turned the match. He also took two ODI hat-tricks.
3. Waqar Younis (Pakistan) – 416 wickets
Waqar’s toe-crushing yorkers at high pace made him one of the most feared fast bowlers in history. He took his wickets in only 262 matches, a remarkable strike rate, and his 7/36 against England in 2001 remains among the best figures by a Pakistani in ODIs. Together, Wasim and Waqar were known as “the two Ws”.
4. Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka) – 400 wickets
A clever left-arm swing bowler, Vaas holds the record for the best bowling figures in ODI history: 8/19 against Zimbabwe in Colombo in 2001.
5. Shahid Afridi (Pakistan) – 395 wickets
Famous for his big hitting, “Boom Boom” Afridi was also a genuine match-winning leg-spinner with a quick, flat style. He played 398 ODIs, the most among the top 10 bowlers, and was one of the best all-rounders Pakistan has produced.
6–10. Pollock, McGrath, Lee, Malinga and Kumble
- Shaun Pollock: South Africa’s accurate, economical seamer and all-rounder.
- Glenn McGrath: line-and-length master and key to Australia’s World Cup wins in 1999, 2003 and 2007.
- Brett Lee: one of the fastest bowlers ever, with 380 wickets in only 221 ODIs.
- Lasith Malinga: the slingy yorker specialist who took three ODI hat-tricks and four wickets in four balls at the 2007 World Cup.
- Anil Kumble: India’s leading ODI wicket-taker, a fast, accurate leg-spinner.
Pakistan’s Leading ODI Wicket-Takers
| Bowler | Style | Approx. wickets |
|---|---|---|
| Wasim Akram | Left-arm fast | 502 |
| Waqar Younis | Right-arm fast | 416 |
| Shahid Afridi | Leg-spin | 395 |
| Saqlain Mushtaq | Off-spin (doosra pioneer) | 288 |
| Abdul Razzaq | Right-arm fast-medium all-rounder | 269 |
| Shoaib Akhtar | Right-arm fast | 247 |
Saqlain Mushtaq deserves special mention: he made the “doosra” famous and reached his wickets at a very fast rate early in his career. Shoaib Akhtar, the “Rawalpindi Express”, is remembered for bowling one of the fastest deliveries ever recorded. Among current players, fast bowlers such as Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf are building their own records.
Other Famous ODI Bowling Records
| Record | Holder | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Best bowling figures in an innings | Chaminda Vaas | 8/19 vs Zimbabwe, 2001 |
| Most ODI hat-tricks | Lasith Malinga | 3 hat-tricks |
| First to 500 ODI wickets | Wasim Akram | Achieved in 2003 |
| Most wickets in ODIs and Tests combined | Muttiah Muralitharan | Over 1,300 international wickets |
| Four wickets in four balls (World Cup) | Lasith Malinga | vs South Africa, 2007 |
Can Any Active Bowler Reach the Top 10?
Modern teams play fewer ODIs than in the 1990s and 2000s because of the growth of T20 cricket and leagues. That makes it very hard for any current bowler to reach 337 wickets, the mark needed for the top 10. Experienced bowlers such as Mitchell Starc, Rashid Khan and Shaheen Shah Afridi have excellent strike rates, but they would need many more years of regular ODI cricket. Wasim’s 502 and Murali’s 534 may stay at the top for a very long time.
What makes a great ODI bowler?
- Taking wickets with the new ball and controlling runs in the middle overs.
- Bowling yorkers and variations at the death.
- Fitness to play for 15–20 years.
- Adapting to different conditions, from Sharjah to England.
FAQs about Most Wickets in ODI
Who has the most wickets in ODI cricket?
Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka, with 534 wickets in 350 matches.
Which Pakistani bowler has the most ODI wickets?
Wasim Akram, with 502 wickets, the second-highest of all time.
Who was the first bowler to take 500 ODI wickets?
Wasim Akram was the first bowler to reach 500 ODI wickets, during the 2003 World Cup.
How many Pakistanis are in the top 10 ODI wicket-takers?
Three: Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shahid Afridi.
What are the best bowling figures in ODI history?
Chaminda Vaas’s 8/19 against Zimbabwe in 2001.
Who is your all-time favourite ODI bowler: Wasim, Waqar, Murali or someone else? Tell us in the comments, and follow our cricket section for updates from the October tri-series.