Well, five-wicket hauls are often hailed as one of the most decorated achievements for bowlers in the One-Day International (ODI) cricket format. The star-studded history of the One-Day Internationals (ODIs), which spans over decades, has witnessed numerous legendary bowlers, including Muttiah Muralitharan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and many others, who have annihilated the most lethal batting lineups in the world with their ruthless bowling attacks on the field and dominating five-wicket hauls that have left the opponent teams stunned. Have you ever wondered about the top four bowlers with the highest number of five-wicket hails in the ODI format? Well, let’s find out.
In this article we will take a look at the top four bowlers with the most five-wicket hauls in the ODI format.
Top 4 Bowlers With Most Five-Wicket Hauls in ODI Matches
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Waqar Younis, Pakistan
The legendary Pakistani former international cricketer and current coach of Pakistan’s national cricket team, Waqar Younis, is at the first spot in our list of the top four bowlers who hold the record for maximum five-wicket hauls in the ODI format as of 2025. Often regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the limited-overs cricket format, Waqar Younis was often hailed as a walking nightmare by even the greatest of batsmen of his era. Throughout his glorious international cricketing career that lasted from 1989 to 2003, Waqar Younis picked up a total of 416 wickets in the ODI format at an average of 23.8 and an economy rate of 4.68. Additionally, Waqar Younis also claimed a total of thirteen five-wicket hauls in the ODI format, which continues to be the highest total as of 2025 speaking volumes about the unmatched legacy that the Pakistani former cricketing stalwart has left behind.
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Shahid Afridi, Pakistan
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At the second spot in our list of the top four bowlers with the most five-wicket hauls in the ODI format, we have another Pakistani former international cricketer, Shahid Afridi, who represented Pakistan across all formats of international cricket from 1996 to 2016. Often hailed as one of the greatest all-rounders in the history of international cricket, Shahid Afridi picked up a total of 395 ODI wickets throughout his star-studded international cricketing career at an average of 34.5 and an economy rate of 4.63. Moreover, Shahid Afridi also claimed a total of nine five-wicket hauls in the One Day Internationals (ODIs) format, which continues to be the second-highest total of five-wicket hauls ever claimed by a bowler in the ODI format.
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Muttiah Muralitharan, Sri Lanka
Next, at the third spot in our list of the top four bowlers who hold the record for maximum five-wickets hauls in the ODI format as of 2025, we have the legendary Sri Lankan cricket coach, businessman and former professional cricketer, Muttiah Muralitharan, who is often hailed as of the deadliest bowlers in the history of international cricket. Throughout his glorious international cricketing career, which spanned from 1992 to 2011, Muttiah Muralitharan played a total of 350 ODI matches and picked up a phenomenal total of 534 wickets at an average of 23.1 and a blistering economy rate of 3.93, making him one of the most reliable bowlers for Sri Lanka. Moreover, Muttiah Muralitharan also claimed the third-highest total of nine five-wicket hauls in the ODI format throughout his decades-long international cricketing career, speaking volumes about his dominance on the field.
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Rashid Khan, Afghanistan
Finally, at the fourth spot in our list of the top four bowlers with the most five-wicket hauls in the ODI format, we have the Afghan international cricketer and captain of the Afghanistan national team in the T20I format, Rashid Khan. Widely regarded as one of the most influential and successful bowling all-rounders to ever represent Afghanistan across all formats of international cricket, Rashid Khan has played a total of 114 ODI matches as of September 2025 and has successfully picked up a total of 199 wickets at an average of 20.4 and a phenomenal economy rate of 4.24 making one of the most lethal bowlers in the history of the ODI format. Also, throughout his star-studded cricketing career so far, the Afghan bowling all-rounder Rashid Khan has claimed a total of nine five-wicket hauls, placing him at the fourth spot in our list.
