Pakistan is affectionately known as "The Nation of Swing Bowlers." We have seen many excellent swing bowlers from Pakistan. In the 1990s, the Wasim-Waqar pair was the most dangerous pair of swing bowling. But sometimes, their performance was ineffective, and they couldn't stop the opposition from scoring runs. Here we will rank the top ten Pakistani bowlers who conceded the most runs in their international careers.
10. Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar is a former right-arm fast bowler, considered the quickest bowler of international cricket history. He took 444 International wickets and is famous for his most rapid delivery of 161.3 km/hr. Akhtar is the only bowler to reach 100 mph bowling speed twice in his career. He makes it into the tenth position on the list with 11,175 runs conceded in his career at a bowling average of 25.
9. Abdul Qadir
Abdul Qadir is a former right-arm leg-spin bowler, regarded as one of the greatest spin bowlers of the 1970s and 1980s. He made his first international appearance in December 1997 in a test match against England. Qadir played 64 tests and 104 ODIs; took 350+ international wickets. He conceded 11,196 runs in his career, which brings him into the ninth position on the list.
8. Mushtaq Ahmed
Mushtaq Ahmed is a former right-arm leg-break bowling and the current spin bowling coach of the Pakistan National Cricket Team. In the 1990s, he was one of the best wrist-spinners in the world. Ahmed made his International ODI debut in March 1989 against Sri Lanka. He is in the eighth position on the list and conceded 11,461 runs in his international career.
7. Umar Gul
Umar Gul is a former right-arm medium-pace bowler who started his international cricket journey in April 2003. It was an ODI match against Zimbabwe. He was the leading wicket-taker in the 2007 and 2009 World T20 Championships. Gul took 400+ international wickets and announced retirement from all forms of cricket in 2016. He conceded 12,249 runs in his international career and made it into the seventh position on the list.
6. Saqlain Mushtaq
Saqlain Mushtaq is a former right-arm off-break bowler, famous for his ‘doosra’ deliveries. He became the fastest cricketer to take 200 and 250 wickets in ODIs. His international journey started in September 1995 in a test match against Sri Lanka. He is the only spin bowler to take two hat-tricks in ODIs. He is in the sixth position on the list, conceded 12,481 runs in his career.
5. Abdul Razzaq
Abdul Razzaq is a former all-rounder with right-arm medium-fast bowling and right-handed batting. He played his last match in November 2013 in a T20I against South Africa. Razzaq scored more than 7,000 runs and took 350+ wickets. He conceded 12,653 runs in his career, which brings him into the fifth position on the list.
4. Imran Khan
Imran Khan is a former all-rounder with right-handed batting and right-arm fast bowling. Imran was the skipper of the winning squad of Pakistan in the ICC Cricket World Cup 1992. He played 21 years of international cricket for Pakistan. As an all-rounder, Imran contributed a vital part to the team with his performance. He makes it into the fourth position on the list and conceded 13,102 runs in his career.
3. Shahid Afridi
Shahid Afridi is a former aggressive all-rounder with right-handed batting and right-arm leg-spin bowling. He started his international cricket journey in October 1996. It was an ODI match against Kenya. Afridi holds the record for most wickets taken as a captain in T20Is (40); he conceded 17,737 runs in his career. It brings Afridi into the third position on the list.
2. Waqar Younis
Waqar Younis is a former right-arm fast bowler; he became the youngest captain of Pakistan in tests (22 years 15 days). He made his ODI debut in October 1989 against West Indies. Waqar has the record for most four-wicket hauls taken in ODIs (27). In 87 tests and 262 ODIs, he took 750+ International wickets. Waqar is in the second position on the list for conceding 18,707 runs in his career.
1. Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram is a former left-arm fast bowler and considered the greatest reverse swing bowler in cricket history. He holds the highest individual score by a number-8 position batsman in tests (257). Akram has taken most wickets for Pakistan in international cricket. He makes it into the first position on the list with 21,591 runs conceded in his career.
