GUWAHATI: Indian pacer Mohammed Shami on Thursday, February 20, became the fastest bowler to reach 200 wickets in One Day Internationals (ODIs) in terms of balls bowled. Apart from this feat, Shami also became India’s highest wicket-taker in ICC limited-overs tournaments, surpassing Zaheer Khan’s record of 71 wickets.
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He achieved this milestone in just 5,126 deliveries during India’s Champions Trophy opener against Bangladesh in Dubai, surpassing Australia’s Mitchell Starc.
Starc had previously held the record, reaching 200 ODI wickets in 5,240 balls. Pakistan’s legendary spinner Saqlain Mushtaq had accomplished the feat in 5,451 deliveries, followed by Australian speedster Brett Lee (5,640), New Zealand’s Trent Boult (5,783), and Pakistan’s Waqar Younis (5,883).
Shami's record-breaking performance on Thursday saw him dismiss Jaker Ali for 68, helping India secure a strong position in the match. The 33-year-old pacer ended with figures of 5/53, underlining his dominance with the ball.
Fewest Balls to 200 ODI Wickets
- Mohammed Shami – 5,126
- Mitchell Starc – 5,240
- Saqlain Mushtaq – 5,451
- Brett Lee – 5,640
- Trent Boult – 5,783
- Waqar Younis – 5,883
As for the second milestone, with his latest performance, Shami now holds 74 wickets across ICC tournaments, which include the ODI World Cup, T20 World Cup, and Champions Trophy.
His record tally comprises 55 wickets from 18 ODI World Cup matches, 14 wickets from 14 T20 World Cup games, and five dismissals in his only Champions Trophy appearance. In comparison, Zaheer had 44 wickets in 23 ODI World Cup matches, 15 wickets in nine Champions Trophy games, and 12 in 12 T20 World Cup encounters.
Fewest ODIs to 200 Wickets
- Mitchell Starc – 102
- Mohammed Shami / Saqlain Mushtaq – 104
- Trent Boult – 107
- Brett Lee – 112
- Allan Donald – 117
