Whenever a bowler makes their debut in international cricket, it’s quite crucial to cement their spot in the team as early as possible.
And there’s no better way than to take a bunch of wickets to prove their calibre and showcase they are here to stay.
In this process, many bowlers have bagged their first 50 wickets in fewer matches, etching their names in record books for being the quickest.
Here, we’ll look at the top 10 bowlers who have been the fastest to 50 wickets in ODI cricket.
Fastest to 50 Wickets in ODI
| Player | Matches to 50 Wickets | Time Taken |
|---|---|---|
| Ajantha Mendis (SL) | 19 | 0y 277d |
| Sandeep Lamichhane (NEP) | 22 | 3y 237d |
| Ajit Agarkar (IND) | 23 | 0y 182d |
| Mitchell McClenaghan (NZ) | 23 | 1y 278d |
| Dennis Lillee (AUS) | 24 | 8y 116d |
| Hasan Ali (PAK) | 24 | 1y 61d |
| Kuldeep Yadav (IND) | 24 | 1y 87d |
| Shane Warne (AUS) | 25 | 1y 173d |
| Matt Henry (NZ) | 25 | 2y 8d |
| Barry McCarthy (IRE) | 25 | 2y 323d |
Key Insights
19: The number of matches taken by Ajantha Mendis to take 50 wickets in ODI cricket. This is the fewest matches taken to grab 50 ODI wickets, making Mendis the fastest to reach the milestone.
22: Sandeep Lamichhane is the fastest to 50 ODI wickets among the associate nation bowlers. The Nepali spinner took 22 matches to get past the mark.
1: In December 1980, Dennis Lillee became the first-ever bowler to pick up 50 ODI wickets. The former Australian pacer surpassed the landmark in 24 matches. He held the distinction of being the quickest to 50 ODI wickets for almost 18 years until Ajit Agarkar overtook him in 1998.
182: Agarkar, the current Indian chief selector, needed only 23 matches to complete 50 ODI scalps in 1998 before Mendis replaced him at the top in 2009. Interestingly, Agarkar attained the feat in just 182 days after making his ODI debut on April 1, 1998, for India.
2: Ajantha Mendis is the other bowler to nab 50 ODI wickets in under a year. The Sri Lankan mystery spinner took his 50th wicket on the 277th day after his ODI debut on April 10, 2008, becoming only the second player till date to pick 50 wickets within a span of a one whole year from debut.
13: India’s spinner, Amit Mishra, took 13 years and 186 days to reach 50 ODI wickets. This is the longest time any bowler has taken to pick up 50 wickets (minimum 40 innings).
