Most Wickets against an Opponent in ODI
Here’s a look at the bowlers who’ve dominated against a specific opponent in ODIs, taking a bulk of their career wickets against them.
Most ODI Wickets against an Opponent
| Player | Opposition | Matches | Innings | Wickets | Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) | Pakistan | 65 | 63 | 96 | 25.25 |
| Wasim Akram (PAK) | Sri Lanka | 59 | 58 | 92 | 20.96 |
| Wasim Akram (PAK) | West Indies | 64 | 64 | 89 | 25.57 |
| Waqar Younis (PAK) | Sri Lanka | 51 | 50 | 84 | 24.35 |
| Shakib Al Hasan (BAN) | Zimbabwe | 48 | 48 | 82 | 20.48 |
| Waqar Younis (PAK) | New Zealand | 37 | 37 | 79 | 15.84 |
| Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) | India | 63 | 59 | 74 | 31.78 |
| Muttiah Muralitharan (SL) | New Zealand | 41 | 40 | 74 | 17.94 |
| Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) | Pakistan | 82 | 76 | 71 | 36.43 |
| Chaminda Vaas (SL) | India | 61 | 60 | 70 | 31.61 |
Key Insights on the Lead Wicket-Takers Against a Single ODI Opponent
Individual Bowling Records Against Specific ODI Teams
Muttiah Muralitharan has picked up the most wickets against an opponent in ODI cricket. He clinched 96 wickets against Pakistan.
Waqar Younis is the only bowler to take 5 five-wicket hauls against an ODI team. He grabbed those many five-fors against New Zealand along with his 79 scalps.
Younis’s 7 four-wicket hauls against New Zealand are also the most by a bowler against an opponent in ODIs.
Brett Lee is the only bowler to pick up three or more five-fors against two teams. The former Australian paceman racked up 4 five-wicket hauls against India and three against England.
Career Consistency and Team Dominance Records
Muralitharan, the leading wicket-taker in ODI history, and Wasim Akram, the most successful pacer, have taken 50 or more wickets against five opponents, the joint-most in ODIs. Younis and Glenn McGrath follow with four opponents each.
Rashid Khan has the best bowling average and strike rate against an ODI team (minimum 50 wickets). He averages around 14 and strikes every 21st ball against Zimbabwe.
Muralitharan is the other bowler to average below 15 against an opponent (14.67 vs Zimbabwe). And Younis has a sub-25 strike rate against New Zealand (22.6).
(See which bowlers top the overall strike rate and the overall bowling average metrics in ODI cricket.)
Opponent’s Home, Captaincy and World Cup Specific Milestones
Michael Holding leads the chart for the most ODI wickets at an opponent’s home. The former West Indies quick netted 49 scalps against Australia in Australia.
Witness the raw pace and artistry of Michael Holding in this iconic bowling spell from the 1984 Test match in Perth, which is also the legendary fast bowler Courtney Walsh’s debut Test match.
Imran Khan has taken the most wickets as a captain against an ODI team. He minted 41 wickets in 35 innings against the West Indies as Pakistan’s skipper.
15 of Muralitharan’s 74 wickets against New Zealand came in the ODI World Cup, the most by a bowler against a team in the 50-over event.
Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas played together in 252 ODI matches, where they claimed 708 wickets, the most by any bowling pair in the format. A significant portion of these wickets (126) came against Pakistan.
Read Next | Highest Individual Scores by Indian Captains in Test Cricket
