In cricket, bowlers win matches. They take important wickets to create pressure on the batsmen of the lower orders and in this way, prevent teams from scoring runs. Also, for this reason, bowlers are placed parallel to batsmen responsible for scoring runs.
A good cricket team constitutes of a set of excellent batsmen and bowlers. The bowlers could be fast bowlers or spinners who dodge batsmen with their balls. If you are asked to name a few ballers, you will name Shane Warne the legendary Australian spinner who was a challenge for any team during his time.
Here I’m listing the top 10 bowlers in the world
1. Courtney Walsh (West Indies)
WI Women Head Coach Courtney Walsh is ready to make a difference.
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) October 5, 2020
Read more⬇️https://t.co/Nsgy5RHB01 pic.twitter.com/1yk8G2fsK1
Born: 30 October 1962, Kingston, Jamaica
Batting: Right-handed
Bowling: Right-arm fast
Tests Played/Wickets: 132/519
ODI Played/Wickets: 205/227
5 Wickets Tests/ODI: 22/1
10 Wickets Test/ODI: 10/0
Best Test/ODI: 7/37 and 5/1
Courtney Walsh is one of the greatest bowlers in the world and this is evident from his career statistics. He was one of the few bowlers who had the capability of dismissing even an entire team. In West Indies, he was an opening bowler with Curtly Ambrose and was responsible for clipping the wings of batsmen from making runs.
2. Wasim Akram (Pakistan)
"SULTAN" a memoir "Wasim Akram" by Gideon Haigh…
— Wasim Akram (@wasimakramlive) October 30, 2022
Available for pre-order now!https://t.co/lgVaJpFvyL#HardieGrant #GideonHaigh #SultanByWasimAkram #WasimAkramBook pic.twitter.com/zfhcDdZeiI
Born: 3 June 1966, Lahore, West Pakistan, Pakistan
Batting: Left-handed
Bowling: Left-arm fast
Tests Played/Wickets: 104/414
ODI Played/Wickets: 354/502
5 Wickets Tests/ODI: 25/6
10 Wickets Test/ODI: 5/0
Best Test/ODI: 7/119 and 5/15
One of the finest bowlers Pakistan has ever produced, Wasim Akram was often called the Sultan of Swing. His ability to bowl at a significant pace made him popular across the globe. He even scored good runs for his team. He led Pakistan to the 1999 Cricket World Cup final where they lost to Australia.
3. Curtly Ambrose (West Indies)
West Indies fan & Grenada 🇬🇩 Prime Minister Dr. the Rt Hon. Keith Mitchell met cricket legends and analysts, Ian Bishop @irbishi and Sir Curtly Ambrose @ambrose_curtly : was a wonderful chat LIVE at tea time. #WIvENG @GrenadaUN pic.twitter.com/gaYzzkppW4
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) March 26, 2022
Born: 21 September 1963, Swetes, Antigua and Barbuda
Batting: Left-handed
Bowling: Right-arm fast
Tests Played/Wickets: 98/405
ODI Played/Wickets: 176/225
5 Wickets Tests/ODI: 22/4
10 Wickets Test/ODI: 3/0
Best Test/ODI: 8/45 and 5/17
Curtly Ambrose was a bowler of the top order. At 6 feet 7 inches, he looked like a fierce fast bowler who can ball anyone out. He had the advantage of bouncing his balls due to his height. Together with Courtney Walsh, he had tied many batsmen to the pitch preventing them from making runs.
4. Dennis Lillee (Australia)
Dennis Lillee becomes just the fourth Australian to receive the honour, joining Sir Donald Bradman, Richie Benaud and Keith Miller in the @sportaushof 👏 pic.twitter.com/RCzAdDVeqv
— Cricket Australia (@CricketAus) November 22, 2021
Born: 18 July 1949, Subiaco, Western Australia
Batting: Right-handed
Bowling: Right-arm fast
Tests Played/Wickets: 70/355
ODI Played/Wickets: 63/103
5 Wickets Tests/ODI: 23/1
10 Wickets Test/ODI: 7/0
Best Test/ODI: 7/83 and 5/34
Dennis Lillee was rightly called the “outstanding fast bowler of his generation” because he was able to dodge batsmen with his bowling style. He suffered multiple stress fractures because of his speed but he never let the injuries compromise his speed or bowling style.
5. Sir Richard Hadlee (New Zealand)
Pic: Sir Richard Hadlee gives Prince William some bowling tips. pic.twitter.com/Y0eDpi5DT0
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) April 14, 2014
Born: 3 July 1951, St Albans, New Zealand
Batting: Left-handed
Bowling: Right-arm fast
Tests Played/Wickets: 86/431
ODI Played/Wickets: 115/158
5 Wickets Tests/ODI: 36/5
10 Wickets Test/ODI: 9/0
Best Test/ODI: 9/52 and 5/25
He was the greatest all-rounder of his time because he scored runs as well. He not only dismissed batsmen but hit balls to boundaries as well. He scored 3,124 runs in Tests and 1,751 runs in ODI. At the height of his career, he was an important player in the New Zealand cricket team.
6. Glenn McGrath (Australia)
Are you ready for another massive Ashes summer? I'm delighted to be going on tour across the UK with Aggers for @bbctms LIVE in April & May 2023.
— Glenn McGrath (@glennmcgrath11) September 23, 2022
Expect an evening of stories, memories & predictions as #EngvsAus returns.
Tickets are on-sale now! https://t.co/EJGIdGtHvR pic.twitter.com/AYmI3w9s51
Born: 9 February 1970, Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia
Batting: Right-handed
Bowling: Right-arm fast-medium
Tests Played/Wickets: 124/563
ODI Played/Wickets: 250/381
5 Wickets Tests/ODI: 29/7
10 Wickets Test/ODI: 3/0
Best Test/ODI: 8/24 and 7/15
Glenn McGrath is one of the few bowlers that have left an indelible mark on the world of cricket. Also, he was the force behind the dominance of Australia in cricket. During his time, Australia became world champion three times in a row – 1999, 2003, 2007.
7. Malcolm Marshall (West Indies)
Today we remember Malcolm Marshall. One of the greatest bowlers the game has ever seen. He would have been 57 today pic.twitter.com/V3N3wKrVFU
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) April 18, 2015
Born: 18 April 1958, Bridgetown, Barbados
Died: 4 November 1999, Bridgetown, Barbados
Batting: Right-handed
Bowling: Right-arm fast
Tests Played/Wickets: 81/376
ODI Played/Wickets: 136/157
5 Wickets Tests/ODI: 22/0
10 Wickets Test/ODI: 4/0
Best Test/ODI: 7/22 and 4/18
This greatest West Indian fast bowler died young at the age of 44 but his achievements in fantasy cricket apps cricket will keep him alive in the memories of cricket fans. He was a fast bowler of remarkable strength who could generate dangerous bounces to scare batsmen.
8. Sydney Barnes (England)
Birth of a Legend
— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) April 19, 2017
Today in 1873, Sydney Barnes, The GOAT, was born.
Most Wickets in a Series: 49
189 Wickets in 27 Tests with 24 five-fer pic.twitter.com/aMR55YZqRV
Born: 19 April 1873, Smethwick, Staffordshire, England
Died: 26 December 1967, Chadsmoor, Staffordshire, England
Batting: Right-handed
Bowling: Right-arm fast/Right-arm leg spin
Tests Played/Wickets: 27/189
First Class Played/Wickets: 133/719
5 Wickets Tests/FC: 24/68
10 Wickets Test/FC: 7/18
Best Test/FC: 9/103 and 9/103
Sydney Barnes had an amazing ability to bowl at a pace from medium to fast-medium. Also, he could easily produce both swings and break from both sides of the pitch. He also took wickets with amazing speed. Fewer batsmen could face his bowling attack.
9. Shane Warne (Australia)
A legacy gives you a perspective on what's important.
— Shane Warne (@ShaneWarne) September 12, 2022
It is about the richness of an individual's life, including what they accomplished and the impact they had on people and places.
Shane’s Legacy will live on.
Happy birthday – always in our hearts 🤍🤍🤍 pic.twitter.com/qL5NPIZnUk
Born: 13 September 1969, Upper Ferntree Gully, Victoria, Australia
Died: 4 March 2022, Ko Samui, Thailand
Batting: Right-handed
Bowling: Right-arm leg break
Tests Played/Wickets: 145/708
ODI Played/Wickets: 194/293
5 Wickets Tests/ODI: 37/1
10 Wickets Test/ODI: 10/0
Best Test/ODI: 8/71 and 5/33
The surprise death of this legendary cricket produced a void that is hard to be filled by any bowler in the world. In addition to taking wickets, he scored runs as well. He made 3,000 runs in Test and 1,018 runs in ODI. He even played IPL post-retirement but only for some time.
10. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka)
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— Muthiah Muralidaran (@Murali_800) May 18, 2023
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Sign Up Now: https://t.co/G8t6NokEuN#FanCraze #BadaGameKhel #collab pic.twitter.com/SWNPlFuL8z
Born: 17 April 1972, Kandy, Ceylon
Batting: Right-handed
Bowling: Right-arm off break
Tests Played/Wickets: 133/800
ODI Played/Wickets: 350/534
5 Wickets Tests/ODI: 37/10
10 Wickets Test/ODI: 22/0
Best Test/ODI: 7/51 and 7/30
Who can forget the off-break spin bowling of Muttiah Mralitharan who has scared batsmen out of the field? One of the greatest bowlers in the world, Muralitharan deserves to be called a born spinner. His wicket-taking average in Test cricket is 6 wickets per match. Also, he has dismissed entire teams 22 times in Test cricket.
