In this article, we will learn about the top-wicket takers in the 50-over format of the game.
Muthiah Muralidharan (Sri Lanka)
Muralidharan is the most successful bowler of all time, he stands at the top of the list in both T20 and Test cricket. He took a total of 534 wickets while appearing in 350 ODI matches with an average of 23.08 and an economy rate of 3.93, including the best bowling performance in an innings of 7/30.
Muralidharan made his debut in ODI cricket in 1993 while playing against India in Colombo. He appeared in his last ODI contest while playing the final of the ICC World Cup 2011 against India on April 2, 2011, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Wasim Akram (Pakistan)
Wasim Akram is the second-highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket after Muralidharan. He picked up a total of 502 wickets in 356 ODI matches, with an impressive bowling average of 23.52 and an excellent economy rate of 3.89. He is also considered one of the best bowlers in world cricket for his unplayable deliveries.
Akram also holds the record for scoring the highest run with respect to the batting position in test cricket and for the most sixes in an innings in the same format of the game. He started his ODI career in 1984 and played his last game for Pakistan on March 4, 2003, against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo.
Waqar Younis (Pakistan)
Waqar Younis stands in third place on the list of the leading wicket-takers in ODI cricket. He played a total of 262 ODI matches and picked up 416 wickets with a bowling average of 23.84 and an economy rate of 4.68, including the best bowling figures in a match of 7/36. Younis started his career in 1989 and appeared in his last ODI game on the same date when Akram retired from international cricket.
Chaminda Vaas (Sri Lanka)
Chaminda Vaas is the fourth-highest wicket-taker in ODI cricket, with 400 wickets in 322 ODI contests. He started his ODI career against India on February 15, 1994, in Rajkot, and played his last ODI against the same side on August 27, 2008, in Colombo. He picked up 400 wickets in his ODI career at an impressive bowling average of 27.53 and an economy of 4.18.
Shahid Afridi (Pakistan)
Shahid Afridi is the fifth-highest wicket-taker in the world and the third-highest wicket-taker from Pakistan in ODI cricket. He took a total of 395 wickets in 398 matches, with an average of 34.51 and an economy of 4.62. Afridi also smashed 8064 runs in ODI cricket with a batting average of 23.57 and a strike rate of 117.00, including the best score in an innings of 124 runs.
