(Top 5 Bowlers in ICC Champions Trophy History) Most cricketing fans like huge sixes and boundaries hit by batsmen in cricket, but cricket is not only for batsmen. Cricket is also a game of bowlers who change the outcome of matches with their bowling and ultimately can change the results of big tournaments like the ICC Champions Trophy. ICC Champions Trophy is one of the most prestigious world-class events organized by ICC in a limited overs format.
In the history of the ICC Champions Trophy, you must have seen some of the greatest bowling performances. But have you thought about the most consistent bowlers who had done well in this tournament for their countries with the ball? So, here is the list of the five most successful bowlers in the history of the ICC Champions Trophy with the most number of wickets.
The TOP 5
1) Kyle Mills (New Zealand) – 28 Wickets (15 Matches)
New Zealand has produced some of the most remarkable bowlers in the history of cricket, and Kyle Mills is one of those bowlers who is also the most successful bowler in the history of the ICC Champions Trophy till now. Kyle Mills played 15 matches for New Zealand in in this tournament, in which he took a total of 28 wickets, which made him the most successful bowler in the history of the ICC Champions Trophy. Mills was able to swing the ball in both ways (In-swing and out-swing) and pitch the ball consistently at the right spot of the pitch.
He was like a nightmare for the opening batsmen, moving toward them with a new ball in hand during the powerplay. He was really dangerous in seaming conditions, where he was able to use the pitch really well against the batsmen and make crucial breakthroughs. In the edition of the ICC Champions Trophy 2000, Mills played a pivotal role in winning the ICC Champions Trophy title for New Zealand. He consistently bowled great lines and lengths, along with his speed, and he lifted the trophy in that edition of the tournament.
2. Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) – 25 Wickets (16 Matches)
The second-highest wicket-taker in this tournament, is slinging Lasith Malinga; he was famous for his distinctive bowling action and pinpointed yorkers. He had taken 25 wickets in 16 ICC Champions Trophy matches that he had played in his career, which is more than enough to prove his effectiveness in limited-overs cricket. Malinga was someone who had led the fast bowling attack of the Sri Lankan team throughout his career, as no other bowler has contributed like him for Sri Lankan cricket in the fast bowling department till now.
He is known for his match-winning spells in this tournament and other tournaments or games, where he often single-handedly turned so many games in Sri Lanka’s favor. He is someone who was immensely experienced and was able to ball great pinpointed yorkers in difficult situations and conditions. Even in the latter part of his career, where he could not bowl too fast, Malinga continued to be a strong threat to batsmen with his variations and clever use of slower deliveries, which were not easy for all batters to pick.
3. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) – 24 Wickets (17 Matches)
It won’t be wrong if I say that, arguably, Muttiah Muralitharan is the greatest spinner in the history of cricket. Muttiah Muralitharan’s success in this tournament definitely solidifies his legendary status in the spin bowling history of cricket. With 24 wickets in 17 matches, Muralitharan’s off-spin was a challenge for batsmen, especially on pitches that offered dryness and rough patches.
He was someone whose balls were very difficult to pick for batsmen, especially his doosras and googlies, along with his accuracy and consistency of pitching the ball at one right spot until he got the desired result. He was equally valuable for making breakthroughs in crucial situations during a game.
4. Brett Lee (Australia) – 22 Wickets (16 Matches)
Brett Lee is one of the fastest bowlers that cricket has ever seen; Brett Lee’s pace and aggression made him a nightmare for batsmen across all formats of cricket and across different tournaments of cricket. In the ICC Champions Trophy, he took 22 wickets in 16 matches. Lee was like a leader of the fast bowling attack in Australia’s bowling attack and for other domestic teams throughout his career.
His ability to generate extreme pace and lethal bounce on seaming conditions, along with his in-swinging and out-swinging deliveries, made him one such asset of Australian cricket, which helped Australia win many titles along with the ICC Champions Trophy. His match-winning spells helped Australia to dominate the Champions Trophy for a long period of time, particularly during the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 and 2009 when Australia won the title.
5. Glenn McGrath (Australia) – 21 Wickets (12 Matches)
Another Australian furious fast bowler, the great Glenn McGrath is widely known as one of the most accurate and disciplined fast bowlers in the history of cricket. In the ICC Champions Trophy, he took 21 wickets in just 12 matches. He was one such bowler who used to take wickets without letting batsmen score too many runs against him, which made his economy rate too low even after taking so many wickets at critical stages of the match.
McGrath’s strength was his ability to consistently hit the right areas, along with his speed and quality of swinging the ball in both ways, used to frustrate batsmen and force them to take risks to get runs against him, leading to a fall of a wicket.
While batting performances often stay in the headlines in cricket, it is also the bowlers who play a really critical role in winning the game and tournaments. The top five bowlers in this tournament mentioned above, have not only made their records better at the individual level but also played a crucial role in their team’s overall success.
This tournament has witnessed some of the finest bowling performances in the history of cricket, with bowlers playing a vital role in changing the outcome of important matches. Bowlers like Kyle Mills, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Brett Lee, and Glenn McGrath have left a great legacy in this tournament with outstanding performances in the past.
As cricket continues, current and new bowlers should aim to leave their mark in this tournament with their bowling performances because a team with a strong bowling unit can beat a team with the strongest batting order.
By – Md Imran (Cricket Zon)
