There are many remarkable cricketers whose performances go unnoticed throughout their careers. These include some of the best male bowlers in the history of cricket.
But due to the lack of recognition, their records remain hidden. And so, to highlight these exceptional male bowlers and their performances, we have narrowed down a list of the 5 best male bowlers in the history of cricket.
Table of Contents
5. Dale Steyn:
Dale Willian Steyn is a South African fast bowler known as the best fast bowler of this generation. His extraordinary performance in test matches is what has gained him this title.
He is a right-arm bowler with a record of 439 wickets in only 93 test matches. He also has a history of 196 wickets in 125 ODIs. His unique bowling technique combines a high pace with swing. Dale’s remarkable bowling makes him a significant threat to even the best batsmen.
4. Wasim Akram:
The Sultan of Swing, Wasim Akram, is one of the century’s best fast bowlers. He currently holds the record of 502 wickets in ODIs and 414 wickets in test matches.
He was a significant part of the Pakistani team that won the 1992 World Cup. Wasim is a left-arm fast bowler. He also served as the captain of the Pakistani Cricket team.
He made his debut in 1985 and is known as the only Pakistani cricketer mentioned in an all-time Test World XI.
3. Muttiah Muralitharan:
The Sri Lankan off-spinner, Muthaiah Muralitharan, has a record of more than 1000 international wickets. He has taken 800 wickets in test matches and 534 wickets in ODIs. Muttiah has an average of over six wickets per one test match.
He is regarded as the most successful bowler in cricket and is often considered too powerful for weaker teams such as Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. Muttiah made his debut in 1992 and announced retirement in 2010.
2. Michael Holding:
Whispering Death or Michael Holding is a former Jamaican cricketer. He is the most destructive bowler of all time. He was given the nickname ‘Whispering Death’ due to his light-footed and silent bowling technique.
Michael has taken 249 wickets in only 60 test matches and 142 wickets in 102 ODIs. He was a significant rival of the batsmen in the 70s and 80s cricket era and is still included in the world’s best bowlers.
1. Dennis Lillee:
Known as the Godfather of fast bowling in cricket, Dennis Lillee is a former Australian right-arm fast bowler. He has a short temper and attitude. Dennis holds 355 wickets in only 70 test matches and 103 ODI wickets in just 63 matches.
He was the highest wicket-taker in the world at the time of his retirement in 1984. He is considered ‘Outstanding fast bowler of his generation.’ He was well-known for his extreme pace but could not cope with the many fractures he endured.
These injuries were the reason for his retirement. But in just 13 years, Dennis made a massive impact in the history of cricket.
