Cricket records – Most wickets taken in a calendar year

Cricket records – Most wickets taken in a calendar year

Sri Lankan spin legend Muttiah Muralitharan holds numerous bowling records in cricket history. One of the best off spinners history has ever witnessed, is the leading wicket taker in international cricket. His 800 test wickets record is almost impossible to chase down as bowlers usually do not have the longest cricket careers as compared to batsmen. The physical strain these athletes go throughout their bowling career usually force them to retire a lot earlier. Even if a bowler plays for a long time getting wickets at a pace to chase down Muralitharan’s record seems very much difficult. Muttiah Muralitharan’s bowling records are not just confined to the most test wickets in history.

The actual reason he is known as the greatest spin bowler is his consistency and economy as well. The highest 10 wicket-haul taker in test cricket history also holds the record for most wickets taken within a calendar year. Not once but twice Muralitharan took the highest number of wickets in a year taking the first two spots in the list. Taking wickets in home conditions usually gets easier and Muttiah Muralitharan also holds the record of taking most wickets on a single ground. Although most of his wickets came within Sri Lanka or other Asian countries, he was equally effective in away conditions as well. Muttiah Muralitharan took a total of 136 wickets during the year of 2001paying only 45 matches across all formats.

The spin magician’s appetite for wickets did not end here as he continued to take the wickets on regular basis. 5 years later the former Sri Lankan again took 128 wickets in a calendar year. This was the second highest number of wickets for any bowler in a calendar year. After Muttiah Murlitharan’s great numbers, it is Australian spin legend Shane Warne with his 120 wickets in year 1994.

Most wickets taken in a calendar year

Player	Year	Mat	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts
M Muralitharan (SL)	2001	45	1089.5	245	2718	136
M Muralitharan (SL)	2006	40	854.2	147	2687	128
SK Warne (AUS)	1994	39	902.2	230	2319	120
GD McGrath (AUS)	1999	41	802.2	187	2408	119
MG Johnson (AUS)	2009	47	774.3	103	3185	113
GP Swann (ENG)	2010	39	736.0	123	2402	111
Saeed Ajmal (PAK)	2013	50	700.3	83	2435	111
M Muralitharan (SL)	2000	31	823.3	166	2143	109
AA Donald (SA)	1998	27	643.4	140	1987	107
DK Lillee (AUS)	1981	28	747.1	164	2204	105