In this sport, bowlers and batsmen can both be very important; yet, a skilled bowler can frequently make a difference and make it difficult for the batsman to score. It may be difficult to score runs because of the pitch, which may provide the bowlers with extra assistance. Teams must carefully position their bowlers in each inning if they hope to finish strong.
One good ball, though, is enough to remove any batsman, regardless of the pitch’s behaviour or the players’ skill level. The bowlers now have a little advantage over the batsmen. However, this requires bowlers with skill.
Here, we’ll talk about the best ten bowlers in world history who fit this description:
1. Muttiah Muralitharan
One of the best spin bowlers in cricket history is thought to be Muttiah Muralitharan. He is renowned for his extraordinary control, unusual bowling motion, and dual-ball-spinning ability.
Throughout his career, Muralitharan’s bowling action was a subject of considerable discussion. His opponents thought he was throwing rather than bowling since he threw with his arm bent. But in 1995, the International Cricket Council (ICC) issued a warning, and he changed his behaviour to conform to the rules of the game.
Even on unresponsive pitches, Muralitharan’s ability to produce a high turn and bounce from the pitch was a defining feature of his bowling style. His delivery was varied; he could produce a well-concealed doosra, which is a ball that spins in the opposite way of a traditional off-spinner. In addition, he had a reputation for changing up the tempo and direction of his pitches to keep hitters guessing and under continual pressure.
2. Shane Warne
Known for his amazing ability to flip the ball sharply and his excellent leg-spinner talents, Shane Warne is regarded as one of the best cricketers of all time. Warne, who was born in Victoria, Australia, on September 13, 1969, made his cricket team debut in 1992.
Warne was the second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history, behind Muralitharan, having participated in 145 Test matches during his long career. He claimed an incredible 708 wickets. Also, he participated in 194 one-day internationals and claimed 293 wickets.
Warne used a variety of delivery techniques, including his well-known flipper and gummy deliveries, to characterise his distinctive bowling style. Another skill he was well known for was reading batters’ movements and tricking them with certain deliveries. He was dubbed “the King of Spin” for his skill at spin bowling, which made him a dangerous foe for any team.
3. Glenn McGrath
Glenn Donald McGrath AM, a former Australian cricket player, was born on February 9, 1970, and participated in the sport for 14 years. Many people rank him as one of the all-time great international bowlers. He was a medium-fast bowler. From the middle of the 1990s until the end of the 2000s, he helped Australia become the cricketing superpower. Throughout his career, McGrath maintained an accurate line and length, making him one of the most successful and effective fast bowlers of that era.
He currently stands sixth all-time in one-day international wickets (381) and holds the record for most wickets taken in a Cricket World Cup with 71. At the 2007 World Cup, he was named Man of the Tournament for his exceptional bowling, which proved crucial to Australia’s victory, capping off his one-day career.
McGrath was honoured during the seventh Bradman Awards ceremony on November 1, 2012, in Sydney, Australia. His induction into the ICC Hall of Fame took place in January 2013.
4. Wasim Akram
One of the best fast bowlers in cricket history is thought to be Wasim Akram. Akram, a Pakistani cricket player born in Lahore on June 3, 1966, made his debut for the squad in 1984 and soon after became a deadly opponent for any side. Having participated in 104 Test matches over his career and claimed 414 wickets, Akram holds the record for most wickets taken by Pakistan in Test cricket. At the time of his retirement, he held the global record with 502 wickets in 356 one-day internationals played.
With his ability to produce reverse swing—a technique he helped pioneer—and his remarkable speed, Akram was a formidable bowler. Along with his reputation for swing and seam bowling, he was a formidable menace to batsmen under any circumstances. He was dubbed “the Sultan of Swing” for his extraordinary skill set.
Akram was not just a talented bowler but also a competent lower-order batsman and adept fielder. He was a key player in many of Pakistan’s most notable triumphs, such as their 1992 World Cup victory.
5. Brett Lee
Born on November 8, 1976, Brett Lee is a former Australian cricket player who participated in all three game formats. Lee was regarded as one of the fastest bowlers in the world throughout his international career. Over his next two years, Lee gave up less than 20 runs for every wicket he claimed, but his final statistics were in the low 30s. He was an effective lower-order batsman and an agile fielder in Test cricket, with a batting average of over 20.
After taking 310 tests and 380 one-day wickets in one-day international cricket, Lee announced his resignation. Even Muttiah Muralitharan, one of the greatest bowlers of his time, took fewer ODI wickets than Lee between 2000 and 2009.
The Australian squad that won the 2003 World Cup included Lee. On July 12, 2012, he announced his retirement from international cricket after participating in his first Test match in 1999. Not only did he play Twenty20 matches for a few seasons after that, mostly in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and/or Big Bash League (BBL), but he also refused to extend his contract with the New South Wales squad from his home state.
6. Shoaib Akhtar
August 13, 1975, was Shoaib Akhtar’s birthdate in Pakistan. Prior to becoming a pundit, he was a professional cricket player. He earned the moniker “Rawalpindi Express” for being the first bowler to record a 100 mph bowl, which he accomplished twice in his career.
In a Test match, Akhtar made his debut as a fast bowler in November 1997. After his test debut, he made his One Day International debut three months later.
After the Lahore High Court lifted the suspension in October 2008, Akhtar was once again chosen for the 15-man team for the Twenty20 Quadrangular Competition in Canada. In 2008, Akhtar received a five-year suspension for his public criticism of the Pakistan Cricket Board. Akhtar declared he was quitting international cricket after the 2011 World Cup. He started a career on YouTube after retiring, where he posts match summaries and Pakistani cricket news.
Also read: How to Bowl Like a Pro: 10 Cricket Tips and Techniques Unveiled
7. Dale Steyn
Steyn was born in Phalaborwa, a South African village located just outside Kruger National Park, in 1983. Zimbabwe is where his ancestors came from. On October 17, 2003, Steyn made his Northern debut in the first class. He had minimal impact and played in just two first-class games during the first season. He was chosen to play against England as part of the South Africa International Test squad following some impressive early-season performances in 2004–2005. He didn’t have much of an impact in his maiden County Championship game, although he did take 14 wickets at an average of 59.85.
He bowled for Royal Challengers Bangalore against Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2010 Indian Premier League, with a maximum speed of 156.7 km/h (97.3 mph). To maximise his abilities, he was often chosen to bowl with the new ball due to his ability to produce a lot of swings. He bowled at an average pace of between 140 and 150 km/h. He demonstrated his ability to swing the older ball in reverse as well. Extremely competitive, Steyn was a cricket player who often celebrated after obtaining a wicket. In 2021, he gave up playing cricket in all its forms.
8. Mitchell Starc
Australian cricket player Mitchell Aaron Starc was born on January 30, 1990, and he plays for both the national team of his country and New South Wales. He bats left-handed and is an Australian left-arm fast bowler who typically plays in the middle order. He plays cricket for Australia in all three of the main international cricket competitions: Twenty20, ODI, and Test cricket. He is currently thought to be among the all-time great bowlers. He was the most highly rated ODI bowler in 2015.
His significant contribution to the Australian squad that won the 2015 Cricket World Cup helped him gain international recognition. Over 160.4 km/h was the fastest ball he had recorded. Since December 2022, he has taken Australia’s seventh-highest number of wickets in Test matches.
9. Jasprit Bumrah
Born on December 6, 1993, Jasprit Jasbirsingh Bumrah is an Indian cricket player who plays for both his country and internationally in all game formats. He plays first-class cricket for the Mumbai Indians and the Gujarat cricket team in the Indian Premier League. Using his right arm, he bowls quickly.
Former international bowler Shoaib Akhtar says that Bumrah’s front-on bowling movement makes bowlers generate pace using their backs and shoulders, which increases the danger of injury. With an average bowling speed of 142 km/h and a maximum speed of 153 km/h in the first Test at the Adelaide Oval, Bumrah—one of the fastest bowlers in India during the 2018 India Tour of Australia—outperformed Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc.
10. Lasith Malinga
Separamadu Lasith Malinga (stage name “Slinga Malinga”) was born in Sri Lanka on August 28, 1983. He was one of the best limited-overs bowlers in history when he played cricket. Malinga is renowned for becoming the first bowler in international cricket history to capture four wickets in four balls twice. He was a key player in Sri Lanka’s victory at the 2014 T20 World Cup.
Fast bowler with a right hand Malinga was often employed as a death-bowl specialist. His unusual round-arm motion, which is sometimes described as a sling movement and gave rise to the nickname he already had, is widely known. Malinga declared his retirement from all forms of cricket on September 14, 2021.
He is currently the official event ambassador for the World Twenty20 Championships, according to the International Cricket Council. In September 2019, Malinga made history in Twenty20 international cricket as he took 100 wickets in a series against New Zealand. Malinga made history in his third over, becoming the first bowler in T20I history to take two hat-tricks and four wickets in four deliveries. This put Rashid Khan in second place on the list of players with the most consecutive four-wicket hauls in T20I history.
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