India will host the 2023 World Cup between October 5 and November 19. Despite the conditions traditionally aiding spin, seam will play an important role as well. Here is the list of the top six possible candidates who can be the leading wicket-taker at World Cup 2023.
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Glenn McGrath is the leading wicket-taker in World Cup history, with 71 scalps from 39 matches at 18.19. He is closely followed by Muttiah Muralitharan, who has 68 wickets from 40 matches at 19.63, and is the only tweaker in the illustrious top five.
Let’s delve into the list of possible highest wicket-takers for this year’s edition.
Kuldeep Yadav
Having undergone some fine technical adjustments to his bowling after an injury layoff, Kuldeep Yadav 2.0 has been a revelation. He has straightened his run-up, ensuring his bowling arm moved towards the batter in the follow-through rather than falling away; he is bowling quicker, and has been able to extract more drift and turn.
He has the most wickets (33) this year among the participating nations at the World Cup, and can be India’s trump card in the middle overs since teams haven’t read him well from the hand lately. Recently, he bagged 5-25 against Pakistan at the Asia Cup to derail their chase of 357.
Shaheen Shah Afridi
Shaheen is expected to shoulder the responsibility of Pakistan’s fast-bowling arsenal. Known for striking early in the innings with full-length swinging deliveries, he can also be lethal at the death with his pinpoint yorkers.
In a recent ICC video, Dale Steyn prophesied Shaheen to be the highest wicket-taker in the marquee event. It remains to be seen whether he lives up to the hype. Only 23, he has 86 wickets under his belt from 44 games at an average of 23.36.
Mitchell Starc
Though he has played only four ODIs this year, an ODI World Cup bowling prediction without Mitchell Starc would be a travesty.
Starc was the highest wicket-taker in the 2015 (jointly) and 2019 editions, with 22 and 27 scalps, respectively. With 47 scalps at 14.81 and an economy of 4.64, he is already on the top five World Cup wicket-takers list. His three five-wicket hauls are a World Cup record.
Jasprit Bumrah
India have been bolstered by the addition of Jasprit Bumrah, India’s highest wicket-taker in the 2019 edition, in their ranks.
After a career-best 6-19 against England in 2022, he spent 11 months on the sidelines because of a lower-back stress fracture. However, in his comeback series in Ireland this August, Bumrah started from where he had left, leading India to a win and claiming the Player of the Series award.
He has been bowling beautifully ever since then. The zip and pace in his bowling are back, and he is swinging the new ball as prodigiously as ever. He had a successful Asia Cup campaign, where India used him judiciously to keep him fresh ahead of the World Cup.
Trent Boult
Despite making it to the last two finals and the last two semi-finals, cliches like “punch above their weight” and “dark horses” are likely to accompany New Zealand at the World Cup.
If they are to change the narrative this time, Trent Boult will play a key role. Boult topped the wickets chart in the 2015 edition along with Starc. In 2019, he took 17 wickets, the second-most for his side.
Despite forgoing his national contract to ply his trade as a T20 globetrotter, Boult has returned to the World Cup squad. He had eight wickets in the recently concluded ODIs against England, the most in the series, including a five-for in the third match.
Mohammed Siraj
Another Indian quick is on the list – one needs no explanation to prove the force he has been for India with the new ball.
The second-highest wicket-taker for Rohit Sharma’s men this year, Siraj can swing the ball both ways at the start, with a lethal scrambled-seam delivery at his disposal. Now the top-ranked ODI bowler, he wreaked havoc in the Asia Cup final with four wickets in an over to reducing Sri Lanka to 12-6 in 5.4 overs; he finished with 6-21 as the hosts were bundled out for 50.
