Going a full over without conceding a single run is an incredible feat, but to achieve it over and over again on an enormous scale is something only a handful can do. Throughout the history of cricket, many exceptional bowlers have risen, but these are the chosen few among them. These bowlers have bowled over 1,000 maiden overs across all competitions throughout their illustrious careers. Here is the list of the top ten bowlers with the most maiden overs across all formats: -
1. Muttiah Muralitharan: 1992 Maidens
The master of spin, second to only the mighty Shane Warne, Muttiah takes the top spot with 1992 maidens spanning all competitions. He is leading the list in test cricket with 1792 and 198 in ODI. He is Sri Lanka’s leading bowler in the wicket, maiden, and other feats. He is the only spinner to bowl this many maiden overs in a One-day format. It’s another incredible feat to add to his collection. He is also the leading wicket-taker in ODI.
2. Shane Warne: 1871 Maidens
Rightly called the God of spin, Shane Warne’s control over his bowling has never been replicated again. His name was enough to strike fear into the batsman's heart. He has 1762 maidens in test matches and over 700 wickets. His magical spells broke the opponent’s formations. He was one of the reasons for Australia’s dominance over the world of cricket during 2000.
3. James Anderson: 1804
England’s ever-reliable machine takes the third spot. Throughout his career, James Anderson had come to get a status for his test bowling. Like Shane Warne, he has around 700 wickets and 1678 maiden overs in test cricket. He has 32 five-wicket hauls in test cricket, with his best being 7/42. He has taken retirement from the ODI but still shows his fearsome bowling in test matches. The recent Ashes series speaks as an example.
4. Glenn Mcgrath: 1749
The partnership of Glenn Mcgrath and Shane Warne destroyed teams all over the world. He has the second-highest maiden overs in one-day cricket and the best bowling strike rate (34). He has bowled 279 maidens in only 248 matches. He has an incredible grasp of line and length and occasional use of Yorkers. He also has an astonishing record in test cricket, bowling around 1500 maidens in 470 innings. He is Australia’s greatest fast pace bowler.
5. Anil Kumble: 1685 Maidens
The man to take ten wickets in a single inning was bound to make this list. The Indian spinner Anil Kumble has performed exceptionally in both formats. As India’s bowling weapon, he dominated the 1990s with his exceptional offspring. He has accumulated 1575 maidens and over 600 wickets in the test format. His name will probably go down as India’s best bowler, as well as one of the best technicians of spin bowling.
6. Shaun Pollock: 1536 Maidens
This South African bowler needs no introduction. Shaun Pollock leads the list in maidens over in ODI. He has over 300 maiden overs,313 to be exact, in 297 innings. His unorthodox bowling made it difficult for the opposition to face him; add his bouncers to that, and he was a pain for all the batsmen. His test record is also great, with him bowling 1200 maidens in only 4,000 overs. He had a relatively straightforward attacking approach to the wickets.
7. Stuart Broad: 1361
Joining his fellow Englishmen Jammy Anderson, Stuart Broad has made a name for himself in cricket. The duo of him and Anderson has made quick work of many teams. He made a comeback into the English squad in 2019 during a series against Pakistan and, since then, has gone on to clinch many wickets. He has around 1300 maidens and 600 wickets in test cricket. His incredible speed and height add to his extraordinary swing.
8. Lance Gibbs: 1317
In his career span of 18 years, the West Indies legend traumatized the bowlers. During the 1960s, the Indies dominated with him leading the bowling attack. He bowled over 1300 maidens in tests in just 4200 innings. His bowling style transformed the Indie’s playing style; which helped them conquer the first two World Cups.
9. Daniel Vettori: 1297
The legendary New Zealand captain comes in at the ninth spot. His supreme grasp over techniques and off-spin forces the batsman to hold his stance, creating a long span of overs without runs, which adds to the opposition's misery. He took over 350 wickets in test cricket and has achieved a similar feat in ODI. He has bowled over 1200 maidens in test matches in 5000 innings. His bowling would put immense pressure on the opposition batsmen. He is a Kiwi legend.
10. Kapil Dev: 1295
In many people’s eyes, India’s most excellent captain and all-rounder, Kapil Dev, takes the 10th spot. While the legendary Indian skipper has many memorable knocks with the bat, it's his bowling that brought him the most success. He has 235 maidens in one-day format and over 1,000 in test cricket. His unique action and change of spin took many batsmen by shock and gave him plenty of wickets. He is the only Indian to bowl over 200 maiden overs in ODI.
