Most wickets in ODI World Cup history: Trent Boult
New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult is the seventh-highest wicket-taker in the history of the ODI World Cup.
Trent Boult has established himself as one of the most lethal fast bowlers in ODI World Cup history. The New Zealand left-arm pacer is known for his ability to swing the ball both ways, making him a formidable bowler in world cricket.
Boult made his ODI debut in 2012 against the West Indies at Basseterre and has never looked back since then. Boult has emerged as one of the best left-arm pacers of this generation.
Boult represented his nation in 114 ODI games over 13 years and bagged 211 wickets in 113 innings with an impressive economy of 4.99 and the best bowling figure of 7/34. With 10 four-wicket hauls and 6 five-wicket hauls, the left-arm pacer has constantly proved why he's so dangerous irrespective of the conditions.
Trent Boult's ODI World Cup Career and Wickets
Boult has played in three ODI World Cups:
1. 2015 (Australia & New Zealand)
2. 2019 (England & Wales)
3. 2023 (India)
2015 World Cup: Boult was the joint-highest wicket-taker with 22 wickets in 9 games at an average of 16.86 and the best bowling figure of 5/27. He played a key role in helping New Zealand reach their first-ever ODI World Cup final.
2019 World Cup: Boult continued his dominance, picking up 17 wickets in 10 matches with an impressive economy of 4.83 and an average of 28.17. His best bowling figures were 4/30 in the 2019 WC. He even secured a hat-trick against Australia, showcasing his ability to deliver on big occasions.
2023 World Cup: Boult took 11 wickets in 9 matches, helping the team to qualify for the semi-finals and in the process also reached the prestigious milestone of 50 wickets in ODI World Cups.
With his performances in 2023, Boult became the first New Zealand bowler to take 50 wickets in ODI World Cups. He is only the third left-arm pacer in history to reach this mark. Only Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 59 wickets and Wasim Akram (Pakistan) – 55 wickets are ahead of him. Boult also surpassed former Sri Lankan pacer Chaminda Vaas (49 wickets) to cement his place among the top wicket-takers.
As of the 2023 World Cup, Boult is the seventh-highest wicket-taker in ODI World Cup history. The only bowlers ahead of him are:
1. Glenn McGrath (Australia) – 71 wickets
2. Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) – 68 wickets
3. Lasith Malinga (Sri Lanka) – 56 wickets
4. Mitchell Starc (Australia) – 59 wickets
5. Mohammed Shami (India) – 55 wickets
5. Wasim Akram (Pakistan) – 55 wickets
Boult announced his retirement last year after NZ’s disappointing T20 World Cup 2024 campaign in the Americas. The Kiwis failed to progress beyond the group stages, prompting Boult to retire from international cricket after the showpiece event. He played his final international match against Papua New Guinea in Trinidad, where he took two wickets for 14 runs.