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 sured 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.
