In the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), some bowlers have distinguished themselves with their skills and tactics in taking wickets in the first over. Bowling the powerplay in T20 cricket is not an easy task, especially when the game is more in favor of the batsmen. 

In the IPL, we often see teams scoring more than 200 runs. Batsmen also attack the bowlers from the very first ball. In such a situation, some bowlers have become experts in the art of taking wickets in the first over with the new ball, which puts the opposition under pressure right from the start. 

In this article, we will discuss the list of bowlers who have taken the most wickets in 1st over of IPL.

Also Read: Most Fifties (and over) in IPL History

Most Wickets in 1st Over of IPL

1. Trent Boult | 31 Wickets 

New Zealand left-arm pacer Trent Boult has the most wickets in 1st over of IPL. He is in high demand in franchise cricket because of his exceptional ability to take wickets in the powerplay. He has played for five teams in the IPL—Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders. His total wicket tally is over 120, and 31 of them have come in the first over.

Boult played his first IPL match on April 11, 2015, against Chennai Super Kings. So far, he has taken 126 wickets in 110 matches in the league at an average of 27.14 and an economy rate of 8.35. His best performance during this period has been taking 4 wickets while giving 18 runs. His IPL win for Mumbai Indians in 2020 and his 'Player of the Match' award in the final are testament to his achievements.

2. Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 27 Wickets

When it comes to ranking some of the best bowlers in IPL history, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is right up there at the top. Although, he is not at the peak of his powers at the moment, the Indian pacer will be regarded as one of IPL's all-time greats. 

The Indian pacer holds the Indian record for taking the most wickets in 1st over of IPL. The experienced bowler can bowl at all levels in T20Is, but his main strength is taking wickets with the new ball. He has been a key player for Sunrisers Hyderabad for a long time.

Bhuvneshwar's total wickets in his IPL career are 187, the most among Indian pacers. Of these, 27 came in the first over. He won the Purple Cap in two consecutive seasons in 2016 and 2017, which is a testament to his consistency. His swing and accuracy make him a nightmare for batsmen in the first over.

3. Praveen Kumar | 15 Wickets

The right-arm seamer Praveen Kumar has the third most wickets in 1st over of IPL. He has had a 10-year-long IPL career, in which he has taken 15 wickets in the first over to his name and has deceived the batters with his immaculate control. 

Praveen has played 119 matches and picked 90 wickets at an average of 36.12. Kumar famously picked up a hat trick in the 2010 edition of the tournament against Rajasthan Royals and became the sixth player in the history of the tournament to achieve the feat.

Also Read: Most Ducks in IPL: Rohit Sharma equals Dinesh Karthik's record

4. Deepak Chahar | 14 Wickets

Deepak Chahar rose to prominence in the IPL 2018 campaign, where MS Dhoni entrusted the youngster with the new ball. There was no looking back for Chahar, as he repaid his captain’s faith in him, and has become a mainstay in the Chennai Super Kings side for the last six seasons.

Deepak Chahar generally bowls about three overs in the powerplay overs, as he is most effective with the new ball. The 31-year-old pacer has picked up 14 wickets in the first over of IPL. Overall, the talented pacer has 82 wickets in his 87 IPL matches at an average of 28.93.

Chahar has won the IPL title three times for Chennai Super Kings, and his swing bowling has played a vital role for the team.

5. Sandeep Sharma | 13 Wickets

Rajasthan Royals player Sandeep Sharma, undoubtedly one of the better bowlers with the new ball, has the fifth highest wickets in 1st over of IPL. Sandeep has 13 scalps to his name in the first over of IPL at an average of 28.92, and an economy rate of just 5.29. 

The pacer has picked up 142 wickets in 133 IPL outings at an average of 27.49. The former Sunrisers Hyderabad player’s best bowling figure in IPL came against Delhi Capitals in 2017, where he picked up four wickets, whilst conceding just 20 runs in four overs. A certain achievement in the pacer’s career is that he holds the record for dismissing Virat Kohli on most occasions in IPL. 

Also Read: Most fifty in IPL history

6. Zaheer Khan | 12 Wickets

One of the greatest bowlers in the history of Indian cricket, Zaheer Khan has 12 wickets when he bowled the first overs in the IPL. The veteran Indian pacer ranks sixth on the list of most wickets in 1st over of IPL.

In his IPL career, Zaheer has clinched 102 wickets with an appreciable economy of 7.59 in 100 matches, making him one of the best bowlers in the league. Due to his great sense of cricket, he has also captained Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). He had a perfect blend of brawns and brain with an astute cricketing mind and ability to match.

Australia pacer Mitchell Starc scripted history in the third Test against West Indies in Jamaica as he grabbed the fastest five-wicket haul in Test history, in just 15 balls. No player in world cricket has ever managed to take a 5-wicket haul in fewer deliveries. With this Starc also surpassed Chaminda Vaas in terms of taking most wickets in tests by left-arm seamers. 

In this article, we will take a look at those left-arm bowlers with most wickets in tests.

Also Read: 5 wickets in 15 balls! Mitchell Starc creates record for the fastest five-wicket haul in test cricket

Most Wickets in Tests by left-arm seamers

7. Neil Wagner | 260

Neil Wagner, the former New Zealand fast bowler, claimed 260 wickets in 64 Tests at an average of 27.60 for New Zealand, from 2012 until his international retirement in February 2024, earning plaudits along the way for his indefatigable left-arm line of attack. 

He was a key member of the team that reached number one in the world and won the inaugural Test world championship in 2021. Among career highlights were his roles in famous victories over England in 2018 and last year's one-run win over the same opposition in Wellington.

6. Zaheer Khan | 311

Zaheer Khan, India’s finest left-arm seamer, has played 92 tests and took 311 wickets with 11 five-wicket hauls. Known for his ability to swing the ball both ways, Zaheer was a key figure in many of India’s overseas wins. His standout performances in England and South Africa helped India win Test matches in challenging conditions. 

5. Mitchell Johnson | 313

Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson, who struck fear into batsmen around the world but especially on the bouncy pitches of his homeland, took 313 wickets in 73 tests at an average of 28.40.

He was a pretty decent bowler throughout his career, but during his peak, he was one of the terrifying bowlers in the world. One of the most notable performances from him was the 2013-14 Ashes in Australia, where he ripped apart the English lineup, match-after-match, innings-after-innings.

4. Trent Boult | 317

Trent Boult is a New Zealand cricketer who is known for being a threat to batsmen all over the world because of his ability to swing the ball on both sides. Boult debuted in Test matches in 2011. He’s the fourth-highest wicket-taker as a left-arm seamers in Tests as he took 317 wickets in 78 matches. He owns 18 four-wicket hauls, 10 five-wicket hauls and 1 ten-wicket haul.

His best bowling figures in Test innings are 6 for 30 runs and a single Test match 10 wickets for 80 runs. He was a part of the winning squad of the ICC World Test Championship in 2019-2021.

3. Chaminda Vaas | 355

In a time when Murali was taking all the plaudits, Vaas was undoubtedly Sri Lanka’s greatest fast bowler, picking up 355 wickets in 111 Tests at an impressive average of 29.58. He’s the only seamer from the island nation to have over 200 wickets and took career best figures of 7/71 with his deceptive swing and persistent line and length.

2. Mitchell Starc | 402

Australian speedster Mitchell Starc set several records in the 3rd and final Test against West Indies in Kingston. In his 100th Test appearance, Starc took seven wickets, including six in the final innings. He recorded a fifer off just 15 balls. 

Starc returned figures worth 6/9 from 7.3 overs in the fourth innings, his career-best in the format. This was his 16th Test fifer. Starc, who became the 16th Aussie to complete 100 Test appearances, has now 402 wickets as a left-arm seamers in test at an average of 27.02.

Also Read: West Indies vs Australia: West Indies register second lowest test score in an inning by a team

1. Wasim Akram | 414

Regarded as one of the greatest left-arm fast bowlers to have played the game, Wasim Akram represented Pakistan in 104 Tests between 1985 and 2002, claiming 414 wickets at an average of 23.06. He also took 25 5-wicket halls. Among these, he took two Test hat-tricks. His best bowling figures in a test match were 7/119. 

India beat hosts England by 336 runs in the second Test to level the five-match Test series 1-1. When news emerged that Jasprit Bumrah will not be playing the second Test at Edgbaston, team India were written off completely, with pretty much everyone expecting England to maul them and go 2-0 up. However, in a twist that no one saw coming, it was India who ended up obliterating the hosts, hammering them on the back of an extraordinary performance.

As the Men in Blue moves to the hallowed turf of Lord’s for the third Test starting July 10, let's take a look at the most test wickets taken by Indian bowlers at Lord's.

Also Read: Indian players to record two hundreds in a Test match

Most Test Wickets Taken by Indian Bowlers at Lord's

1. Bishan Singh Bedi | 17 Wickets

Former left-arm orthodox, Bishan Singh Bedi sits at the top of the list of most test wickets taken by Indian bowlers at Lord's with 17 wickets in only 4 Tests at Lord’s. Bishan Singh Bedi represented cricket from 1966 to 1979 and was part of India’s popular spin-quartet.

Bishan Singh played 67 Tests for the Indian team and took 266 wickets at an average of 28.71. He played his last Test against England in 1979. He finished with three wickets in that match.

2. Kapil Dev | 17 Wickets

The veteran cricketer, Kapil Dev doesn’t need any introduction. The World Cup-winning Indian skipper is counted amongst the greatest all-rounders in the history of the game. He was the country’s lead fast bowler during the late 90s.

Kapil Dev was successful not only in the sub-continent but also in SENA countries. He has an exceptional record at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

In just 4 Tests, Kapil Dev managed to claim 17 wickets and thus is the joint highest Indian wicket-taker at Lord’s. Overall, Kapil has 434 wickets in 131 Tests to his name, including 23 five-wicket hauls.

3. Ishant Sharma | 17 Wickets

At number three is Ishant Sharma, who is also the joint highest Indian wicket-taker at Lord’s. The 36-year old seamer has a pretty good record at Lord’s. He has 17 wickets to his name at Lord's. He had a memorable 7/74 at Lord's in 2014 which helped India to win a Test match at Lords' cricket ground for the first time since 1986.

Ishant Sharma played 105 Tests for the Indian team and took 311 wickets at an average of 32.40, including 11 five-wicket hauls.

4. Anil Kumble | 12 Wickets

India’s greatest spinner in the history of the game, Anil Kumble has the fourth most number of Test wickets by any Indian bowler at Lord’s. Given the fact that the spinners don’t usually get a lot of assistance from the English surfaces and still getting the fourth-most number of wickets is itself a big feat.

Anil Kumble has 12 wickets at Lord’s Cricket Ground. In his Test Cricket career, he has picked 619 wickets in 132 Tests, including 8 ten-wicket hauls. He is currently the highest wicket-taker for the national team in Test cricket.

5. Zaheer Khan | 11 Wickets

Hailed as arguably the best left-arm seamers that the nation has ever produced, Zaheer Khan has a great record to his name at Lord’s cricket ground. On swinging conditions in England, the Indian seamer would make batsmen’s life tougher by swinging the ball both ways. Besides, he was a master at reverse swing.

During his career, he played 13 Tests against England and picked 43 wickets at an average of 29.02. Of those 43, 11 wickets came at Lord’s cricket ground. Overall Zaheer Khan played 92 Tests in his international circuit and claimed 311 wickets at an average of 32.95.

Also Read: Most wickets vs England in England for India in tests

India's thumping 336-run victory over England at Edgbaston has breathed fresh life into the five-Test series, now locked at 1-1. The third Test of the ongoing five-match series between India and England is scheduled to take place at Lord’s from July 10 to 14.

Before the start of the third test, let's have a look at the Best test bowling figure in an inning by any Indian bowler at Lord's.

Also Read: Most Test Wickets Taken by Indian Bowlers at Lord's

Best test bowling figure in an inning by any Indian bowler at Lord's

1. Ishant Sharma | 7/74

Ishant Sharma put in one of the best exhibitions of short-ball bowling by an India fast bowler in the fourth innings of the Lord's Test in 2014. The lanky right-armer ran through England with figures of 7 for 74 to help the visitors record a famous win.

Ishant Sharma was India's hero at Lord's with a seven-wicket haul in the second innings. He cleaned up Ian Bell before inducing an outside edge from Alastair Cook’s blade with a beautiful outswinger. Sharma's brilliant spell turned the tables and India picked up a famous victory by 95 runs.

2. Amar Singh | 6/35

In the summer of 1936, the late Amar Singh registered his name on the iconic Lord’s Honours Board with a brilliant spell of 6 for 35, the second-best bowling figures by an India bowler in Tests on English soil.

After India were bundled out for 147 in their first innings, Amar Singh exploited the conditions as he ran through the English batting line-up.

The home team was bowled out for just 134, giving India an upper hand. His victims included Arthur Mitchell, Harold Gimblett, Maurice Turnbull, Maurice Leyland, Bob Wyatt, and skipper Gubby Allen. Though India couldn’t capitalize on this momentum and eventually lost the match, Singh’s performance is still one of the best on English soil.

3. Bhuvneshwar Kumar | 6/82

The 2014 Lord's Test remains one of India's most special wins in SENA countries, and they have much to thank veteran pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the triumph. After the first of the five Tests ended in a draw, India and England moved to the home of cricket for the all-important second Test.

On a green wicket, Team India huffed and puffed their way to a respectable 295 in their first innings. With the game hanging on a knife-edge, Bhuvi rattled the English top order by picking up the first three wickets in no time and reducing them to 70/3 in the 32nd over.

He returned to pick up his final three wickets later in the innings, including England's top-scorer, Gary Ballance, for 110, as India restricted England's first-innings lead to just 24. Bhuvneshwar finished with outstanding figures of 6/82 in 31 overs.

4. Bishan Bedi | 6/226

Legendary spinner Bishan Singh Bedi took 6/226 at the Lord's in 1974, getting his name etched on the Lord’s honors board.

On a tough pitch for bowlers, England opened the batting and quickly made a mark on the match with Dennis Amiss' century helping to post a score of 337-2 before Bedi even claimed his first wicket. His dismissal of John Edrich (96) and then Keith Fletcher gave India hope of trying to restrict England below 400. However, those hopes were quickly dashed when Mike Denness and Tony Greig both made centuries with England eventually talling a mammoth score of 629 all out.

Bedi was the only bowler of note to cause England any sort of trouble. In addition to his wickets of Edrich and Fletcher, Bedi also removed Denness, Alan Knott, Geoff Arnold and Derek Underwood to earn a spot on the Honours Boards. Bedi wouldn't have the opportunity to bowl again in the match, with England comfortably winning the Test by an innings and 285 runs.

5. RP Singh | 5/59

After picking up two wickets in the first innings, former left-arm pacer RP Singh produced an incredible five-wicket haul to prevent England from running away with the game in the second.

An incredible three-wicket spell from him saw England, who led by 97 after the first innings, slip from 102/2 to 132/5 in no time. Singh removed skipper Michael Vaughan, followed by Ian Bell and Paul Collingwood in a six-over stretch to bring India back into the contest.

However, Kevin Pietersen's scintillating 134 took the hosts to safety before Singh returned to remove him and Monty Panesar to complete his five-wicket haul. Nevertheless, his 5/59 in the second innings slowed England's innings enough for India to save the game on the final day.

Also Read: Most wickets vs England in England for India in tests

Getting an Indian team call up for any cricketer in India is a lot more difficult than debuting for another country. Because the game of bat and ball is so very popular in the sub-continent, almost everyone who instantaneously loves the sport wants to play for the Indian national team.

However, even at the professional level where there are 38 state associations in the BCCI to pick players and choose from, the overall pool of cricketers certainly get not less than any kind of a ginormous realm.

Perhaps even if someone then ascends and climbs up the entire ladder by reaching the national team’s shores, the individual needs to be sharply quick on his feet to fairly come good at its earliest. Otherwise, just like many many other exceptional talents, the player might come in and slip away in a whip.

In this article we will take a look at those forgotten Indian cricketers who just faded away from Indian cricket.

Also Read: ICC tournaments hosted by India – History & Highlights

10. Parvez Rasool

Parvez Rasool, the talented all-rounder from Jammu and Kashmir, made a name for himself during the 2012-13 Ranji season. His exceptional performances earned him recognition and paved the way for IPL contracts and call-ups in 2013. However, his journey in the national team has been a challenging one.

Despite being a skilled off-spinner, Rasool has struggled to break through the defenses of top batsmen. This weakness has also affected his batting abilities, making it difficult for him to contribute significantly to the team's scorecard. As a result, Rasool's last appearance in the Indian cricket team was in 2017.

9. Parvinder Awana

In 2012, the Kings XI Punjab made a wise decision by purchasing Delhi's right-arm bowler, Parvinder Awana, after his impressive performance in the Ranji Trophy season. His ability to bowl accurately and move the ball off the ground earned him a national call-up for the T20 series against England that same year.

Unfortunately, Awana's debut was not as successful as he had hoped. He allowed 71 runs at a high economy of 11.83 in the two games he participated in, resulting in his immediate removal from the team. His struggles continued in the IPL, and since 2015, he has failed to attract any bidders in the auction.

Parvinder Awana announced his retirement from all forms of cricket in 2018.

8. Faiz Fazal

Being well-known as a solid top-order batsman for Vidarbha first-class cricket over the years, Faiz Fazal finally played an India ODI game in the year 2016 against Zimbabwe at Harare. The cricketer, while making his ODI debut, also had become the first Indian player in 16 years who was debuting in his 30s.

However, his India call-up also had come on the back of an excellent domestic season where the left-handed batsman had scored a pile of 714 first class runs at an average of 44.62. Especially his three centuries that also included a match-winning 127 against the Rest of India while chasing 480 had brought him on the selectors’ radar.

Overall, while being the opener did mean that Fazal was in a long queue whose chiefs were the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma. Also, unfortunately, Fazal’s name has never been synonymous when it comes to the IPL.

7. Munaf Patel

Munaf Patel played a crucial role in India's victorious 2011 World Cup campaign. The medium-pacer's consistent ability to take wickets and disrupt the opposition's momentum was instrumental in securing the coveted trophy.

However, Patel's fortunes have taken a turn for the worse in recent years. Despite his best efforts to impress selectors and secure an IPL franchise, he has struggled to regain his former glory. In November 2018, he announced his retirement from cricket.

6. Venugopal Rao

Venugopal Rao is a name that may not ring a bell for many cricket enthusiasts, but he is one of the forgotten Indian cricketers who made his international debut in 2005 when skipper Sourav Ganguly was dropped from the team. Rao had an impressive domestic track record while playing for Andhra Pradesh, which earned him his maiden call for the Indian team in 2005-06 when new players were being tested on the international stage.

Rao was a lower middle-order batter and a right-arm off-break bowler. He made some good scores between 2005-06 while playing for the Indian team, but unfortunately, they were not enough to sustain his position in the team. Despite playing a few matches in the IPL, he was never retained by any franchise.

After a career spanning 14 years, Rao decided to hang up his boots in 2019. However, he is nowhere to be seen these days, neither in commentary nor as a coach with any team.

Also Read: Youngest Indian cricketers to score an international century

5. Praveen Kumar

Praveen Kumar was a famous name of the Indian cricket team, known for his exceptional skills as a medium pacer. However, his state teammate Bhuvneshwar Kumar proved to be a tough competition, overshadowing Praveen's ability to generate strong bounce and swing the ball in both directions.

Despite his vast experience, the selectors had to make the tough decision of removing the veteran player due to his recurring injury issues.

Praveen Kumar announced retirement from all forms of cricket in 2018.

4. Mayank Markande

While Mayank Markande, by just being 23 years of age can definitely play a lot more for team India in the future, the leg-spinner as of now has only featured in a single T20I against Australia in 2019. The leg-spinner just before making his India debut was in an exceptional bowling form especially when Markande had played for Mumbai Indians in IPL 2018.

During his stay at the MI camp, the leg-spinner had played all 14 IPL games as a premier spinner and had scalped a collection of 15 wickets during the 2018 IPL season. Following his impressive IPL performances, Mayank then did a convincing job for the Punjab team in the 2018-19 season, as from his 6 games, the leggie grabbed a total of 29 wickets.

But then very soon after playing his debut T20I game for India, Markande had an unpleasant outing where he leaked 31 runs without managing to grab a single wicket. Overall, while a single T20I might not be entirely enough to judge his talent, the cricketer ever since then hasn’t exhibited much of his previous match-winning performances.

3. Dinesh Mongia

Dinesh Mongia was part of two World Cups, but he failed to make a mark in both. Having started his international career in 2001, Mongia did score one or two big knocks, like his 159 against Zimbabwe, which also won him the Man of the Match award.

But as a batting allrounder, that was the first and the last century of Mongia. Mongia was also in the playing XI under Sourav Ganguly against Pakistan series in 2005, but again, there were no memorable performances.

After a string of poor performances in 2005, he was dropped from the team. He was suspended by the BCCI in 2008 for appearing in unsanctioned Indian Cricket League (ICL). Though the ban against him was lifted, he was never seen in the Indian team again.

At 42, Mongia announced his retirement from all forms of cricket.

2. Joginder Sharma

Remembered for his last over heroics against Pakistan in the 2007 T20 World Cup, Joginder Sharma had the arguably the shortest fame in international cricket. Hardly anyone knew him before that last over from the 2007 World Cup which India won. 

Having made his debut in 2004, the right-arm medium-fast bowler also played few IPL games with the Chennai Super Kings till 2011.

Sharma has played only 4 ODIs and 4 T20Is for India. He had a serious car accident in 2011, and since then he has not played any IPL or international match. He announced his retirement from cricket on February 3, 2023.

He is currently a Deputy Superintendent in Haryana Police.

Also Read: Fastest Indians to score 2000 test runs

1. Murali Karthik

Though the left-arm orthodox bowler didn't have a poor international run, he couldn't get a full-time role as a bowler in the team due to presence of players like Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh.

Karthik made few apperances for the Indian team from 2000 to 2007, but was never a permanent member. In a career spanning 7 years, Karthik appeared in 37 ODIs in which he took 37 wickets, while he took 24 wickets in 8 Test matches

He also played IPL for Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kings XI Punjab. In all, he played 56 matches in six years and ended his IPL career with 31 wickets. His economy of 7.24, was also a big reason why teams couldn't continue with him.

Karthik announced his retirement from the game in 2021.

Australia's star fast bowler Mitchell Starc added a big achievement to his name on Wednesday by becoming the bowler to take the most wickets in ICC tournament finals. Starc achieved this feat by taking two wickets on the first day of the World Test Championship 2025 final against South Africa at Lord's. Starc, playing his fifth ICC final, has taken 11 wickets so far and is expected to increase it.

Also Read: Highest wicket-takers in WTC 2023-25

With this, Starc also broke the record of Indian fast bowler Mohammed Shami as soon as he took the second wicket. This record was earlier in the name of Shami, who had taken 10 wickets in four ICC finals.

So, let's take a look at the bowlers with most wickets in ICC tournament finals.

Most Wickets in ICC Tournament Finals

6. Glenn McGrath | 8 Wickets

The former legendary Australia pacer Glenn McGrath featured in a total of 5 ICC finals for the Baggy Greens and took 8 Wickets for his team. McGrath was one of Australia’s most important players for several years and he always stepped-up big time in finals of major tournaments.

McGrath was the second-highest wicket-taker in the 2002 edition of the ICC tournament with 8 wickets in 3 matches after Muttaih Muralidharan who has claimed 10 wickets in as many games.

5. Kyle Jamieson | 8 Wickets

New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson also took 8 Wickets in the ICC tournament finals after appearing in 3 innings. In the 2019–2021 World Test Championship Final, Jamieson was named as the man of the match, after taking seven wickets, including a five-wicket haul in the first innings.

4. Ravindra Jadeja | 8 Wickets

Ravindra Jadeja comes fourth on this list. Jadeja’s evolution from a utility player to a match-winner is reflected in his 8 ICC final appearances. In his 8 finals, Jadeja dismissed 8 players in ICC tournament finals.

His all-round prowess was key to India’s Champions Trophy triumph in 2013, where he was the leading wicket-taker. He has since played vital roles in T20 World Cup finals and two successive WTC finals (2021, 2023), as well as the 2025 Champions Trophy. 

3. Trent Boult | 8 Wickets

New Zealand's veteran pacer Trent Boult is true to the 'big-match player' tag with 8 wickets in his 4 ICC Finals. Boult played a massive role in the Kiwis' success in ICC tournaments and gave brilliant bowling performances in the finals as well.

Boult was also the joint leading wicket taker at the 2015 Cricket World Cup. In 2018, he became the third bowler for New Zealand to take a hat-trick in ODIs.

2. Mohammed Shami | 10 Wickets

India's star bowler Mohammed Shami now comes second in this list. In four ICC finals, Shami has taken 10 wickets at an average of 38.90, an economy rate of 3.95 and best bowling figures of 4/76 in the WTC final 2021 against New Zealand.

Shami is also the leading wicket-taker among Indian bowlers in ODI World Cups and also led all bowlers in the 2023 edition with 24 wickets in seven outings. He continued his magical run in ICC events with a five-wicket haul in his maiden Champions Trophy game (ongoing contest against Bangladesh).

Also Read: Most Runs in WTC 2023-25

1. Mitchell Starc | 11* Wickets

Australia's pace ace Mitchell Starc has became the highest wicket-taker in ICC tournament finals. The left-arm quick achieved the milestone during the World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord's. Starc, playing in his fifth ICC final, has now taken 11 wickets across tournament deciders.

The milestone came in style as Starc struck early in South Africa's second innings, cleaning up Aiden Markram for a duck. He followed it up with the dismissal of Ryan Rickelton for 16, ending Day 1 with figures of 2/10 in a fiery spell.

He also became the joint second-highest wicket taker in ICC knockout games. He is sharing the spot with former Aussie legend Glenn McGrath and Mohammed Shami, who each have taken 22 wickets. The top spot is with former Sri Lankan great Muttiah Muralitharan, who has 23 wickets.