ODI Cricket: Bowling in any format of cricket is a difficult art. It is not often seen that a bowler wins the “Man of the Match” in more games than a batter. One of the prime reasons for this is that cricket is undoubtedly a batting-dominant game. But still, the role of a bowler is as important as a batsman in his team.
And there are a few bowlers who know how to dominate the opposition with their skills. Here we will talk about the fastest bowlers in history who have picked up 100 ODI wickets. This list includes some big names in this game. So let’s check.
5. Mustafizur Rahman (Bangladesh) – 54 matches
Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman is fifth on the list. Mustafizur is the joint-fourth fastest bowler to take 100 wickets in ODI history. The left-armer made his ODI debut in June 2015 against India and caught the eyes of everyone. He took just 54 games to reach the 100-wicket mark. So far, he has taken 139 wickets in 79 games at an economy of 5.09 with a best figure of 6/43.
4. Shane Bond (New Zealand) – 54 matches
The world has seen many brilliant pacers that have done well in this game. One such pacer was New Zealand’s legendary bowler, Shane Bond, who was known for bowling fast and accurate. Bond came into the international arena in January 2002 against Australia and played his last game against the same opposition in March 2010. He took 54 games to reach 100 ODI wickets. In his 8-year career, he took 147 wickets in 82 innings.
3. Saqlain Mushtaq (Pakistan) – 53 matches
Legendary Pakistan spinner, Saqlain Mushtaq, was among the top bowlers in his era. He was very difficult to pick for the batters with his variations. Saqlain made his ODI debut in September 1995 against Sri Lanka and played until 2003. He was the fastest bowler to take 100 ODI wickets in his time. Later, two bowlers broke his record. Saqlain reached 100 ODI wickets in his 53 games and ended up with 288 wickets in 169 matches.
2. Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 52 ODI games
Australian speedster Mitchell Starc is the second fastest bowler to take 100 ODI wickets in the history of the game. Starc played a key role in Australia’s ODI world cup victory in 2015. He made his ODI debut in October 2010 against India and it took him 52 games to complete 100 wickets. Starc has picked up 206 wickets in 105 ODIs in his career so far.
1. Rashid Khan (Afghanistan) – 44 matches
One bowler in the current era who can win games in any situation is Rashid Khan. The Afghan superstar is among the best when it comes to bowling in white-ball cricket. He is the fastest bowler to take 100 ODI wickets in just 44 games. Rashid made his ODI debut in October 2015 against Zimbabwe and became a big name in cricket. So far, he has picked up 158 wickets in 83 ODIs.
Fastest 100 wickets in ODI history
| Player | Against | Match Date | Debut | Time | Mts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rashid Khan (AFG) | West Indies | 25 Mar 2018 | 18 Oct 2015 | 2y 158d | 44 |
| Mitchell Starc (AUS) | Sri Lanka | 21 Aug 2016 | 20 Oct 2010 | 5y 306d | 52 |
| Saqlain Mushtaq (PAK) | Sri Lanka | 12 May 1997 | 29 Sep 1995 | 1y 225d | 53 |
| Shane Bond (NZ) | England | 23 Jan 2007 | 11 Jan 2002 | 5y 12d | 54 |
| Mustafizur Rahman (BAN) | Pakistan | 5 Jul 2019 | 18 Jun 2015 | 4y 17d | 54 |
| Brett Lee (AUS) | England | 25 Jan 2003 | 9 Jan 2000 | 3y 16d | 55 |
| Trent Boult (NZ) | West Indies | 23 Dec 2017 | 11 Jul 2012 | 5y 165d | 56 |
| Mohammed Shami (INDIA) | New Zealand | 23 Jan 2019 | 6 Jan 2013 | 6y 17d | 56 |
| Jasprit Bumrah (INDIA) | Sri Lanka | 6 Jul 2019 | 6 Jan 2013 | 3y 164d | 57 |
| Mat Henry (NZ) | Netherlands | 4 Apr 2022 | 23 Jan 2016 | 8y 63d | 57 |