Top 10 leading wicket-takers in ODI cricket since 2007

Top 10 leading wicket-takers in ODI cricket since 2007: These days the balance between the bat and ball has drifted a lot in favor of batsmen. You call it big bats or small-sized boundaries or whatever but certainly there is no denying to the fact that these days everything is seemingly in favor of the batters. Even the miss hits and edges carry over the ropes. Nowadays, totals of 400 have become the new 300 while totals of 300 have become a cakewalk for the batting sides. In the World Cup 2015, we saw that on 26 occasions teams reached the 300 run mark while on 3 times they crossed the mark of 400 runs which once was considered as an outright impossible thing.

After the World Cup 2015, the International Cricket Council (ICC) was quick to take remedial steps to restore the balance in the game and as a result changed quite a few rules in ODI cricket. But many people overlook the very fact that the quality of bowling has also witnessed a new low after retirement of bowling stalwarts.

It is notable that between 2000 and 2007 as many as 9 bowlers took over 200 wickets with 4 bowlers scalping in excess of 250 wickets. While between 2007 and 2015 there have been only 3 bowlers who have grabbed 200 plus wickets. But even since 2007, there have been bowlers who have tasted reasonable success and have hence proved that in spite of any adversity quality bowling can withstand anything.

Since 2007, Slinga Malinga has been the leading wicket-taker in ODI’s with 253 wickets. Malinga has certainly emerged as the greatest death bowler of the world with hell lot of skills in his armor like toe-crushing Yorkers, deceptive bouncers and slower deliveries. The second spot is occupied by the Aussie pacer Mitchell Johnson who has grabbed 225 scalps in the same period and has spearheaded the Aussie pace department.

Then comes the number of Boom-Boom Afridi who might not have been able to emblaze the 22 yards with the bat but has been excellent with white cherry in hand. He has taken 202 wickets. English swinging sensation James Anderson occupies the 4^th spot with 191 wickets and has played pivotal role in providing breakthroughs upfront. The 5^th and 6^th position are occupied by Asian spinners Shakib- Al-Hasan and Saeed Ajmal. Shakib has been Bangladeshi side’s premiere all-rounder and has not left any stone unturned in the last few years for his side.

While Saeed Ajmal who recently got his action remodeled after his previous action was found to be illegal by the ICC holds average of 22.72 per wicket since 2007 which is the best in the list. Ajmal has won his side many a matches single-handedly and has grabbed 184 scalps.. Nuwan Kulasekara and Stuart Broad are stationed at 7^th and 8^th position with 173 and 172 wickets respectively. While Kulasekara has been a perfect foil for Malinga, Broad has similarly complemented Anderson very well.

The last two spots are occupied by the South African duo of Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn. They have taken 169 and 162 wickets respectively.