Muttiah Muralitharan is the leading wicket-taker in men's international cricket, finishing his career with 1,347 wickets across Tests, ODIs and T20Is for Sri Lanka. He holds the men's records for most Test wickets (800) and most ODI wickets (534).
Most Wickets in International Cricket
The list below focuses on men's international cricket across the three senior formats. Retired-player totals are fixed, while active-player totals can change as matches are played.
| Rank | Player | Team | International Wickets | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | 1,347 | 1992–2011 |
| 2 | Shane Warne | Australia | 1,001 | 1992–2007 |
| 3 | James Anderson | England | 991 | 2002–2024 |
| 4 | Anil Kumble | India | 956 | 1990–2008 |
| 5 | Stuart Broad | England | 847 | 2007–2023 |
Note: The all-format totals above are career totals across Tests, ODIs and T20Is and should not be confused with franchise or domestic wickets.
Who Has Taken the Most Wickets in International Cricket?
Muttiah Muralitharan leads men's international cricket with 1,347 wickets. ICC records 800 Test wickets, 534 ODI wickets and 13 T20I wickets for Sri Lanka.
Muttiah Muralitharan Wickets by Format
| Format | Matches | Wickets | Best Bowling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tests | 133 | 800 | 9/51 |
| ODIs | 350 | 534 | 7/30 |
| T20Is | 12 | 13 | 3/29 |
| Total | 495 | 1,347 | — |
ICC's Hall of Fame profile confirms Muralitharan's 800 Test wickets and 534 ODI wickets, while ICC's career summary records 13 T20I wickets.
Most Test Wickets
Muttiah Muralitharan is the leading Test wicket-taker with 800 wickets in 133 Tests. Shane Warne is second with 708, followed by James Anderson with 704. ICC's 2026 Test statistics also list Anil Kumble on 619 and Stuart Broad on 604.
| Player | Team | Test Wickets |
|---|---|---|
| Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | 800 |
| Shane Warne | Australia | 708 |
| James Anderson | England | 704 |
| Anil Kumble | India | 619 |
| Stuart Broad | England | 604 |
Most ODI Wickets
Muralitharan also holds the men's ODI wicket record with 534 wickets in 350 matches. ICC identifies him as the most successful ODI wicket-taker in men's cricket.
| Player | Team | ODI Wickets |
|---|---|---|
| Muttiah Muralitharan | Sri Lanka | 534 |
| Wasim Akram | Pakistan | 502 |
| Waqar Younis | Pakistan | 416 |
| Chaminda Vaas | Sri Lanka | 400 |
| Shahid Afridi | Pakistan | 395 |
Most T20I Wickets
T20I wicket totals are more dynamic because active players continue to add matches. For a current leaderboard, this section should be refreshed from the latest ICC player statistics whenever the article is updated. The all-format and Test/ODI records above are the established historical records.
Most Wickets in International Cricket: Important Records
- Most men's international wickets: Muttiah Muralitharan – 1,347.
- Most Test wickets: Muttiah Muralitharan – 800.
- Most ODI wickets: Muttiah Muralitharan – 534.
- Most wickets in men's World Cups: Muttiah Muralitharan took 68 in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup.
- Most Test wickets in a career by an Indian: Anil Kumble – 619.
- Most Test wickets among England bowlers: James Anderson – 704.
Why Muralitharan Holds the International Wicket Record
Muralitharan combined an exceptionally long international career with elite wicket-taking in both Tests and ODIs. ICC records that he finished with 1,347 international wickets, 346 more than Shane Warne, who was second at the time of Muralitharan's retirement.
International Wickets vs IPL Wickets
International wickets are wickets taken for a national team in recognised international matches. IPL wickets are franchise-league statistics. They are separate categories and should not be added together when comparing international bowling records.
Men's and Women's International Wicket Records
Men's and women's international records are maintained as separate statistical categories. When publishing a women's wicket leaderboard, use the women's international record set rather than mixing it with the men's figures on this page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has taken the most wickets in international cricket?
Muttiah Muralitharan holds the men's international record with 1,347 wickets across Tests, ODIs and T20Is.
Who has the most Test wickets?
Muttiah Muralitharan is the leading Test wicket-taker with 800 wickets in 133 matches.
Who has the most ODI wickets?
Muttiah Muralitharan is the leading ODI wicket-taker with 534 wickets in 350 matches.
How many international wickets did Muralitharan take?
Muttiah Muralitharan took 1,347 international wickets: 800 in Tests, 534 in ODIs and 13 in T20Is.
Who is second on the all-time international wicket list?
Shane Warne finished his career with 1,001 international wickets across Tests, ODIs and T20Is.
Are IPL wickets included in international cricket records?
No. IPL wickets are franchise-league statistics and are separate from international cricket records.
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