Top 10 Captains With Most Wickets In International Cricket
Jul 19, 2019 at 4:33 PM
Captaincy is a very challenging job for anyone, as the captains have to take many responsibilities. It becomes more challenging if a player has to play this leadership role in international cricket.
In international cricket history, there are some bowlers who have maintained their familiar dominant bowling performances even in their captaincy duty. They have taken the captaincy challenge bravely and continued their bowling forms under immense pressure.
Here we are talking about the top ten international captains with most wickets.
(Special Note: All the stats updated till 18th July 2019)
10. Richie Benaud (Australia) – 138 wickets
For his amazing commentary skills, Richie Benaud was famously known as the “voice of cricket”. However, as an all-rounder and captain, Benaud also achieved success in the international career. From 1958 to 1963, Benaud led the Australia national cricket team in 28 Tests where he pocketed 138 wickets (average 25.78). As a Test captain, the leg-spinner managed to claim nine five-wicket hauls.
9. Heath Streak (Zimbabwe) – 145 wickets
The pace-bowling all-rounder Heath Streak was one of best captains in Zimbabwe cricket history. He led the Zimbabwe national cricket team in 89 international matches from 2000 to 2004. The right-arm fast-medium took 145 wickets (average 31.37) as an international captain. While he managed to take eight five-wicket hauls in his international career, he failed to claim any of those achievements as a captain.
8. Shakib Al Hasan (Bangladesh) – 147 wickets
Bangladesh cricketer Shakib Al Hasan is one of the best all-rounders in the modern international cricket. Shakib is a very talented player both as a left-handed batsman and as a left-arm spinner. At present, he is the top two-ranked all-rounders in all the three international cricket formats. He has led the Bangladesh national cricket team in 80 international matches where he has taken 147 wickets (average 27.32). As a Bangladesh captain, Shakib has managed to claim five five-wicket hauls.
7. Waqar Younis (Pakistan) – 164 wickets
The right-arm fast bowler Waqar Younis was one of the greatest pace bowlers in international cricket history. He led the Pakistan national cricket team in 79 international matches from 1993 to 2003. During his international captaincy, the right-arm pacer Waqar Younis bagged 164 wickets with an average 23.96. He managed six five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul as a Pakistan captain.
6. Jason Holder (Windies) – 179 wickets
Windies cricketer Jason Holder is one of the top all-rounders in the present international cricket. His impressive captaincy is motivating the Caribbean side to regrow in international cricket. Till the date, Holder has led the Windies cricket team in 115 international matches, and he has picked up 179 wickets (average 31.91) after playing those matches. The right-arm pacer has claimed seven five-wicket hauls and an only ten-wicket haul as an international captain.
5. Kapil Dev (India) – 202 wickets
Indian cricketer Kapil Dev led the India national cricket team to win their maiden Cricket World Cup trophy in 1983. He was one of the greatest all-rounders and captains in international cricket history. Under Kapil Dev’s captaincy, India played 108 international matches. The right-arm pacer Kapil Dev took 202 international wickets (average 26.30) as an Indian captain. During his captaincy tenure, Kapil Dev managed five five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul.
4. Shaun Pollock (South Africa/ICC World XI/Africa XI) – 238 wickets
The right-arm pacer Shaun Pollock played the captaincy role in 124 international matches. Apart from leading the South African national cricket team, Pollock also led Africa XI in two ODIs and ICC World XI in three ODIs. One of the best South African captains, Shaun Pollock bagged 238 international wickets (average 22.57) as a captain. As a captain, Pollock managed five five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul in the international career.
3. Daniel Vettori (New Zealand) – 246 wickets
Former New Zealand left-arm spinner Daniel Vettori was one of the greatest spinners in international cricket history. Vettori led the New Zealand national cricket team from 2004 to 2011 in 142 international matches. As a captain, Vettori picked up 246 international wickets with an average of 28.38. During his international captaincy, Vettori claimed seven five-wicket hauls.
2. Wasim Akram (Pakistan) – 265 wickets
The left-arm pacer Wasim Akram was one of the greatest pacers in international cricket history. The cricket fans called him “Sultan of Swing” for his impressive abilities of swing bowling. He was also a great captain as he led Pakistan to the runners-up in 1999 Cricket World Cup. He captained Pakistan in 134 international matches where he managed 265 wickets (average 22.92), including five five-wicket hauls and one ten-wicket haul.
1. Imran Khan (Pakistan) – 318 wickets
Former Pakistan cricketer Imran Khan was one of the finest all-rounders and captains in international cricket history. Under his captaincy, Pakistan won their maiden Cricket World Cup trophy in 1992. As a captain in international cricket history, the right-arm pacer Imran Khan took most wickets as he picked up 318 wickets (average 23.87) in this category. The captain Imran Khan managed 12 five-wicket hauls and four ten-wicket hauls in international cricket.