Bowlers always play a crucial role in any cricket match, regardless of the format. However, in the 50-over format, especially in a prestigious tournament like the ICC Champions Trophy, their role becomes even more significant. We have several examples, whether it’s Mohammad Amir’s spell against India in the final of the Champions Trophy 2017 or Ravichandran Ashwin and Ishant Sharma’s impactful bowling against England in the 2013 CT final. These moments immediately come to mind when discussing the importance of bowlers in this tournament.
The famous saying, “Batters win you games, but bowlers win you tournaments,” holds particularly true when it comes to the Champions Trophy, as teams heavily rely on their bowlers to deliver.
Now, with the Champions Trophy 2025 all set to begin on February 19 and all eight teams ready with their best bowling attacks, the competition is expected to be thrilling. But do you know who the top five wicket-takers in Champions Trophy history are? See all the legendary names and the massive impact they had in this tournament.
Highest wicket-takers in the Champions Trophy
| Rank | Bowler | Team | Wickets | Matches | BBF |
| 1 | Kyle Mills | New Zealand | 28 | 15 | 4/30 |
| 2 | Lasith Malinga | Sri Lanka | 25 | 16 | 4/34 |
| 3 | Muthiah Muralidaran | Sri Lanka | 24 | 15 | 4/15 |
| 4 | Brett Lee | Australia | 22 | 16 | 3/38 |
| 5 | Glenn McGrath | Australia | 21 | 12 | 5/37 |
Starting with Kyle Mills, who at one point was New Zealand’s key bowler, he holds the record for the most wickets in this prestigious tournament for the New Zealand camp. He picked up a total of 28 wickets in 15 matches, and what stood out was his impressive economy rate of 4.29.
Moving forward with the list, legendary Sri Lankan bowler Lasith Malinga and Australian speedster Brett Lee also feature. On one hand, Malinga clinched an impressive 25 wickets at an economy rate of 5.31, whereas, on the other, Lee delivered whenever Australia needed him, picking up 22 wickets in total. Lee’s best performance came against New Zealand in the 2002 event, where he dismissed three Black Caps batters.
Another Aussie legend in the list is Glenn McGrath, who picked up 21 wickets for Australia. What always impressed viewers during his playing days was his accuracy, line, and length, which restricted batters multiple times. He was always known for controlling the run flow.
When it comes to spinners, Sri Lankan spin legend Muthiah Muralidaran claimed a total of 24 wickets in the Champions Trophy.
