In cricket, batters have different shots to play and always use them to score runs for their teams. In the same way, Bowlers also have many lethal bowling weapons that break the stumps and confidence of batters. Even though there are plenty of deliveries like inswing, off-cutter, and slower ones, batters always find the Yorker the most difficult to play. So, let’s look at the top 10 Yorker Kings in Cricket History.
1. Lasith Malinga
Lasith Malinga has been one of the greatest bowlers Sri Lanka has ever produced. He is a bowler who specializes in bowling yorker deliveries. Lasith Malinga is a bowler who can bowl Yorker at his will, and batters used to fear from his Yorker. Undoubtedly, Lasith Malinga is a bowler who made yorker delivery famous in T20 cricket, and other bowlers started bowling yorkers after him. In his career, Lasith Malinga has played 30 tests, 226 ODI, and 84 T20s, in which Lasith Malinga has taken 101, 338, and 107 wickets, respectively.
2. Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah is one of the best fast bowlers in modern-day cricket, as he has performed in every format. But, his most dangerous delivery is Yorker. Jasprit Bumrah is known for his lethal yorker deliveries and has fantastic control over this delivery. He can quickly bowl six yorkers in an over. In Mumbai Indians, Jasprit Bumrah learned Yorker from Lasith Malinga, which helped him to trouble batters, and currently, Bumrah is one of the best Yorker bowlers. So far, Jasprit Bumrah has played 30 tests, 89 ODI, and 62 T20s in which he has taken 128, 149, and 74 wickets respectively.
3. Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram is known as the “Swing of Sultan,” as he used to swing the ball in both ways irrespective of pitch conditions. But Wasim Akram also used to bowl toe-crushing yorkers and bowled Yorkers many times. In a match against West Indies, Wasim Akram bowled a yorker to Brian Lara, which hit Lara on the toe. His specialty in swing and Yorker made him one of the most dangerous bowlers in the world. In his career, Wasim Akram has played 104 tests and 356 ODI, in which he has taken 414 and 502 wickets, respectively.
4. Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc is a left-arm fast-bowler from Australia, and he has always been a big tournament player for Australia as he was the highest wicket-taker in the 2015 and 2019 World Cups. Even though Mitchell Starc is an expert in bowling many deliveries, his most dangerous delivery is a Yorker. Mitchell Starc can bowl yorkers at a speed of 145 Kmph, and many batters cannot even defend his Yorker. No one can forget his famous Yorker to Ben Stokes in the 2019 World Cup. So far, Mitchell Starc has taken 333 wickets in tests, 236 wickets in ODI, and 73 in T20 international.
5. Waqar Younis
Pakistan has produced many great fast bowlers that cricket has ever seen, and Waqar Younis is one of them. Pakistani legendary bowler Waqar Younis is one of the quickest and most lethal bowlers in cricket history. Even though he had many bowling weapons to trouble batters, his in-swinging yorkers were the most destructive. All the batters in the world used to fear his in-swinging yorkers, which used to break the stumps. In his career, Waqar Younis has played 87 tests and 262 ODIs in which he took 373 and 416 wickets, respectively.
6. Kagiso Rabada
Kagiso Rabada is a right-arm fast bowler from South Africa, the backbone of the South African bowling lineup. In modern-day cricket, Kagiso Rabada is one of the most fearsome bowlers. He is 6 feet 3 inches tall and takes advantage of his height to trouble batters. Even though Kagiso Rabada is a master in many deliveries, he is one of the most lethal yorkers in cricket. In T20, Kagiso Rabada has bowled many yorkers, which directly hit the stumps. So far, he has played 60 tests, 101 ODI, and 56 T20, in which Rabada has taken 280, 157, and 58 wickets respectively.
7. Trent Boult
Trent Boult is the most reliable bowler for New Zealand, as he has always performed in the big matches. Trent Boult has always been an impact bowler, from opening spells to death overs. As a fast bowler, Trent Boult is an expert in swing and other variations, but he also has one of the best yorkers in cricket. In the ODI and T20, Trent Boult has bowled many yorker deliveries in death overs, which helped him to take wickets and stop runs for his team. In his career, Trent Boult has taken 114 wickets in tests, 211 wickets in ODI, and 74 in T20 international.
8. Shoaib Akhtar
Shoaib Akhtar is the fastest and the most fearsome bowler in cricket history. In today’s cricket, where bowlers struggle to bowl at 145 Kmph, Shoaib Akhtar was the bowler who efficiently used to bowl at 150 Kmph. Even though he had a specialty for bowling quick and lethal bouncers, his toe-crushing yorkers used to be a nightmare for batters. In his prime, Shoaib Akhtar used to bowl Yorker at 150 Kmph. He has taken 178 wickets in 46 tests, 247 wickets in 163 ODI, and 19 in 15 T20I.
9. Andrew Flintoff
Andrew Flintoff is one of the best all-rounders that England has ever seen. No one can forget his heroic performance in the 2005 Ashes series. Even though Andrew Flintoff used to be an excellent seam bowler, his biggest strength was the yorkers. There are many matches where he has dismissed the batters by his yorkers. In his career, Andrew Flintoff has taken 226 wickets in tests and 169 wickets in ODI cricket.
10. Umar Gul
Pakistan has always shown its dominance in the fast-bowling department, and Umar Gul has been one of the finest bowlers for Pakistan. He is the best bowler of Pakistan in T20 cricket, and his best delivery is Yorker. Umar Gul has bowled many lethal yorkers in his career and helped his team take wickets in death overs. In his career, Umar Gul has played 47 tests, 130 ODI, and 60 T20s, in which he has taken 163, 179, and 85 wickets, respectively.
