Top 10 Greatest Yorker Bowlers in Cricket History

Cricket has evolved a lot over the years. Modern batters dominate with big shots and aggressive stroke play. Despite this, bowlers have found ways to stay effective. Among all deliveries, the yorker has become the most deadly weapon for fast bowlers. A yorker is a delivery pitched at the batsman’s feet, making it very difficult to hit. Some bowlers have mastered this art and have built their careers around it. In this article, we rank the top 10 greatest yorker bowlers in cricket history, based on speed, accuracy, and performance in crucial moments.

List of 10 Greatest Yorker Bowlers in Cricket History

10. Shaun Tait – Australia

Shaun Tait, nicknamed the “Wild Thing,” was an Australian pacer famous for his extreme pace and slingy bowling action. Tait mainly played in One Day Internationals, though injuries affected his career. His speed and ability to swing the ball made his yorkers very tough to play. While inconsistent at times, Tait’s fast yorkers earned him recognition as one of the greatest yorker bowlers in cricket history.

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BB	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Tests	36	41	4302	1530	97	3/97	3/97	12/160	40.40	4.37	82.8	0	0	0
ODIs	35	34	1688	1461	62	4/39	4/39	39/392	23.56	5.19	27.2	0	0	0
T20Is	21	21	478	592	28	3/13	3/13	21/37	21.03	7.39	17.0	0	0	0

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9. Andrew Flintoff – England

Andrew Flintoff was a tall all-rounder who could swing the ball at high speed and bowl deadly yorkers. His height and strong run-up helped him generate pace and bounce, making him dangerous in the death overs. Flintoff’s combination of aggression and accuracy made him one of England’s most valuable bowlers and one of the greatest yorker bowlers in cricket history.

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BB	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Tests	79	137	14957	4174	102	26/5	8/58	8/156	32.78	2.97	66.1	1	3	0
ODIs	141	119	5624	4121	169	5/19	5/19	24/384	24.38	4.39	33.2	0	0	0
T20Is	77	150	1615	152	52	2/23	2/23	32/206	32.20	6.44	30.0	0	0	0

8. Dale Steyn – South Africa

Dale Steyn is regarded as one of South Africa’s finest fast bowlers. Known for his extreme pace and ability to swing the ball both ways, Steyn’s yorkers were highly effective across all formats. His aggressive style and pinpoint accuracy made him a nightmare for top batters, securing his place among the greatest yorker bowlers in cricket history.

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BB	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Tests	93	171	18608	10077	439	7/51	11/60	22.95	3.24	42.3	27	6	5	0
ODIs	125	124	6250	8719	196	6/39	6/39	25.95	4.87	31.9	43	0	0	0
T20Is	47	47	1015	644	44	4/9	4/9	18.35	6.94	15.8	2	0	0	0

7. Brett Lee – Australia

Brett Lee was one of the fastest bowlers in cricket history, combining pace, swing, and lethal yorkers. Over a 13-year career, he constantly troubled top batters in death overs. Lee’s pace and accuracy made him a key weapon, cementing his position among the greatest yorker bowlers in cricket history.

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BB	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Tests	76	150	16531	9554	310	5/30	9/17	30.81	3.46	53.3	17	0	0	0
ODIs	221	217	11185	8773	380	5/22	5/22	23.36	4.76	29.4	14	0	0	0
T20Is	25	25	457	1428	33	2/3	2/3	25.50	7.86	19.4	0	0	0	0

6. Shoaib Akhtar – Pakistan

Shoaib Akhtar, also known as the ‘Rawalpindi Express,’ is famous for bowling the fastest ball in cricket. His extreme pace, swing, and deadly yorkers made him one of the most feared bowlers, earning a spot among the greatest yorker bowlers in cricket history.

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BB	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Tests	46	82	14345	7417	178	6/111	6/111	25.69	3.37	45.7	10	0	0	0
ODIs	163	162	7764	6192	476	6/16	6/16	24.97	4.76	31.4	6	0	0	0
T20Is	15	15	3184	3219	3	3/8	3/8	22.73	8.15	16.7	0	0	0	0

5. Shane Bond – New Zealand

Shane Bond was a fast New Zealand pacer known for his mix of pace, swing, and pinpoint accuracy. Consistently bowling over 150 km/h, Bond’s yorkers in the death overs were extremely effective. His ability to combine speed with accuracy made him one of the greatest yorker bowlers in cricket history.

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BB	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Tests	18	23	3721	922	87	6/51	10/99	22.09	3.41	38.7	7	0	0	0
ODIs	82	80	4295	3070	147	6/19	6/19	20.88	4.28	29.2	7	0	0	0
T20Is	20	20	465	432	53	3/18	3/18	21.72	7.00	18.6	0	0	0	0

4. Mitchell Starc – Australia

Mitchell Starc has been Australia’s leading fast bowler in recent years. Known for his exceptional pace and deadly inswinging yorkers, Starc has troubled some of the world’s best batters. His accuracy, combined with extreme speed, earns him a place among the greatest yorker bowlers in cricket history.

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BB	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Tests	103	198	19669	11238	247	7/58	11/94	26.50	3.42	46.3	18	0	0	0
ODIs	130	130	6638	5826	247	6/28	6/28	23.58	5.26	26.8	12	0	0	0
T20Is	65	65	1458	1794	104	4/20	4/20	23.81	7.74	18.4	10	0	0	0

3. Waqar Younis – Pakistan

Waqar Younis is considered one of the most lethal fast bowlers of all time. He pioneered reverse swing bowling and was especially deadly in the death overs. Waqar’s fast and accurate yorkers often knocked over stumps or trapped batters LBW. His precise reverse-swing yorkers place him among the greatest yorker bowlers in cricket history.

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BB	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Tests	87	154	16224	8788	373	7/79	13/135	23.56	3.25	43.4	22	0	0	0
ODIs	262	258	12698	8919	416	7/36	7/36	23.84	4.68	30.5	14	0	0	0
T20Is	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—

2. Lasith Malinga – Sri Lanka

Lasith Malinga, known as “Slinga Malinga,” is famous for his round-arm action and perfect death-over yorkers. His slower-ball yorkers and dipping deliveries made him one of the top wicket-takers in limited-overs cricket. Malinga could bowl consecutive yorkers that left batters helpless, making him a legend among the greatest yorker bowlers in cricket history.

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BB	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Tests	30	59	2093	3491	101	5/50	9/210	33.15	3.85	51.5	7	0	0	0
ODIs	226	220	10936	9760	338	6/38	6/38	28.87	5.35	32.3	11	0	0	0
T20Is	84	83	1799	2225	107	5/6	5/6	20.79	7.42	16.8	12	0	0	0

1. Jasprit Bumrah – India

Jasprit Bumrah is considered the best yorker bowler in the modern era. He performs consistently across all formats with deadly precision and pace. Mentored by Lasith Malinga, Bumrah perfected his yorkers, becoming faster and more accurate. Known as the “king of yorkers,” he regularly takes crucial wickets with unplayable deliveries, earning him the top spot among the greatest yorker bowlers in cricket history.

Format	Mat	Inns	Balls	Runs	Wkts	BB	BBI	BBM	Ave	Econ	SR	4w	5w	10w
Tests	52	99	10031	4631	234	6/27	9/86	19.79	2.77	42.8	16	0	0	0
ODIs	89	88	4580	3509	149	6/19	6/19	23.55	4.59	30.7	6	0	0	0
T20Is	83	80	1756	1872	103	3/7	3/7	18.17	6.39	17.0	8	0	0	0

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