Top 10 best Fast Bowlers in International Cricket

From Andrew Hill, who took the first wicket in Test Cricket history by knocking down Nat Thomson’s stumps, to James Anderson, who has now claimed 690 wickets, fast bowlers have played a crucial role in cricket. They’ve been part of legendary combinations like Lindwall-Miller for Australia, Wasim-Waqar, and now Bumrah-Shami. Cricket has changed over time, but fast bowlers still have the power to win games single-handedly. They remain the most important players in this format, just as they’ve always been.

Now, the question arises: who has been the best fast bowler in cricket since the beginning? This curiosity intensifies when comparing across all three formats of the game, not just Test cricket, considered the purest form of the sport.

Here’s a list of the top 10 best pacers in international cricket:

10. Mashrafe Mortaza – Bangladesh

Although he had a brief Test career, Mortaza played many ODI matches and was also the team captain for a significant period. He has been an important figure for Bangladeshi players as their team has grown.

In his career spanning 19 years and 310 matches, he took 390 wickets. He also made valuable contributions with the bat, scoring 2961 runs and often finishing matches

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9. Heath Streak – Zimbabwe

At 6 feet 1 inch tall, Heath Streak is considered Zimbabwe’s greatest pace bowler. Over 12 years, he played 254 matches and took 455 wickets. His performance was crucial given the challenges of his team and strong opponents.

He also made significant contributions with the bat, scoring 4933 runs in his career, making him a top contributor for Zimbabwe.

8. Chaminda Vaas – Sri Lanka

There weren’t many choices for picking the best fast bowler ever in a country where spinners usually get more attention. But the top seamer in Sri Lanka is definitely Chaminda Vaas. He’s famous for his lightning-fast left-arm bowling.

In One-Day Internationals, Vaas did better than any other Sri Lankan fast bowler when it came to taking wickets. He got 400 wickets in ODIs, with an average of 27.54, playing in 322 matches. His record in Tests is also impressive, with 355 wickets from 111 matches—the most by any Sri Lankan fast bowler—showing how great he was in that role.

7. Kapil Dev – India

Kapil Dev is widely considered India’s best fast bowler ever and one of the greatest in the world. He was also a top all-rounder, achieving the rare feat of scoring 1,000 runs and taking 100 wickets in less than a year when he was just 21 years old. This record still stands today.

In February 1994, during a match in Ahmedabad, Kapil Dev took his 432nd Test wicket by dismissing Hashan Tillekeratne, surpassing Richard Hadlee’s previous record of 431 wickets. By the end of his career, he had taken an impressive 687 wickets in 356 matches.

6. Sir Richard Hadlee – New Zealand

Sir Richard Hadlee was different from other fast bowlers because he remained calm and composed while playing. He wasn’t known for bowling fast, but rather for his steady and controlled approach.

He greatly improved cricket in New Zealand. Richard Hadlee is considered one of New Zealand’s greatest fast bowlers and one of cricket’s best all-rounders. He took 431 wickets in Test matches with an average of 22.29 in 86 matches. In One Day Internationals (ODIs), he claimed 158 wickets in 115 matches.

5. Dale Steyn – South Africa

Dale Steyn is widely considered the best fast bowler of recent times. He consistently performed well for many years. From 2008 to 2014, Steyn held the record for being ranked number one among Test bowlers the most times. He took over 300 wickets in just five years. By the end of his career, he was South Africa’s highest-ever Test wicket-taker and the second South African to reach 400 wickets, which he achieved in 2015. Steyn finished his Test career with 439 wickets, averaging 22.95 per wicket.

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4. Courtney Walsh – West Indies

Curtly Ambrose was one of the tallest cricket players ever, standing at 6 feet 7 inches. He could release the ball from almost 10 feet high. His fast pace, bounce, and swing made him one of the most dangerous bowlers in cricket. In the 1992–93 season at the WACA, he took 7 wickets for just 1 run against Australia, which is considered one of the greatest bowling performances ever.

In his Test cricket career, Ambrose took 405 wickets in 98 matches, averaging 20.99 runs per wicket. He also claimed 225 wickets in 176 One Day International (ODI) matches. Ambrose is widely regarded as one of the greatest and fastest bowlers of all time.

3. Wasim Akram – Pakistan

Wasim Akram, known as the “Sultan of Swing,” is considered one of the greatest left-arm fast bowlers in cricket history. He is also among Pakistan’s fastest bowlers ever.

Many believe Wasim Akram is the best fast bowler in ODI cricket history. He had the unique ability to swing the ball both ways, making it difficult for batsmen to predict.

He was the first bowler to achieve 300, 400, and 500 wickets in ODIs. In his career, he took 502 wickets in ODIs and 414 in Test matches. Wasim held the record for the most international wickets for a long time, with over 900 wickets across formats.

2. Glenn McGrath – Australia

For a long time, Glenn McGrath was considered one of the best fast bowlers ever. He held the world record for the most Test wickets by a fast bowler, after spinners Anil Kumble, Shane Warne, and Muralitharan.

McGrath rarely bowled bad balls in his career, handling pressure from batsmen well. He was remarkable for consistently bowling accurately to every batter. He retired as the fastest bowler in Test cricket history with 563 wickets. In One-Day Internationals, he took 381 wickets, totaling an incredible 949 wickets in both formats.

1. James Anderson – England

As of now, James Anderson is the only fast bowler in the world with 600 wickets in Test cricket. He’s very close to reaching 700 wickets (690), which is astonishing. The fact that he might set more records in the future is incredible, even if you’re not already amazed by these facts!

In total, he has taken 977 wickets in all formats of cricket. This gives him a strong chance to become only the third player ever, and the first fast bowler, to reach 1000 wickets across all formats in his career. This achievement would surely cement his legacy as the greatest fast bowler of all time.

Here’s a list of the top 10 best pacers in international cricket in table :

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