Mills, Malinga and Lee (Source: @CricUpdate58494/X.com, @ICC/X.com ,@CricCrazyJohns/X.com)
The Champions Trophy 2025 is not far away as we head into the multi-national tournament on the back of some fantastic performances in the past. The ninth edition of the Champions Trophy, formerly known as the ICC Knockout Tournament, will begin on February 19th as eight teams gear up for a thrilling showdown.
In the past, there have been many clutch performances that have helped teams upstage their opponents in the most thrilling encounters. The Champions Trophy, which was previously known as the ICC Knockout Tournament, began in 1998, where South Africa emerged as the inaugural champions.
Since then, there have been many incredible performances with both bat and ball, as top players often bail their teams out of trouble in crunch situations. Therefore, with that being said, we will now look at the top five highest wicket-takers in the ICC Champions Trophy history since its inception.
5. Glenn McGrath & James Anderson - 21 Wickets In 12 Matches
The number five spot on the highest wicket-takers list is jointly shared by the Australian and English greats Glenn McGrath and James Anderson, respectively, with 21 wickets apiece in 12 matches for both of them. In their primes, both pacers were equally outstanding with the ball, as they would often trouble the batters with their consistent line and length.
While having 21 wickets each, McGrath is slightly ahead of Anderson on the economy tally with 4.03 as compared to James Anderson's 4.50. Whereas McGrath is ahead on the average, too, with 19.61, as Anderson bowled with an average of 21.76. Additionally, McGrath is the only bowler among the cream to pick up a fifer, which he produced against New Zealand in 2002.
4. Brett Lee - 22 Wickets In 16 Matches
Australia's former premier pacer, Brett Lee, was a menace to deal with. The right-arm bowler, who has featured in 16 Champions Trophy matches for Australia, managed to pick up 22 wickets at an economy of 4.79. While he averages 26.86, Lee was accurate, especially in the death. On the back of his outstanding performances, Australia won back-to-back Champions Trophies in 2006 and 2009, respectively.
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3. Muttiah Muralitharan - 24 Wickets In 17 Matches
Legendary Sri Lankan leg-spinner Muttiah Muralidaran was among the finest bowlers of this century. Murali holds the third position with 24 wickets in 17 matches at an unbelievable economy of 3.60, averaging only 20.16. His best performance came against the Netherlands in 2002, where he picked up figures of 4 for 15 in his 5.3 overs, as Sri Lanka won the tournament jointly with India.
2. Lasith Malinga - 25 Wickets In 16 Matches
At number two is Sri Lanka's deadly pace maestro Lasith Malinga, who was the most difficult bowler to ever face. In 16 matches, Lasith managed to pick up 25 wickets at an economy of 5.31, averaging 30.64. Being highly accurate with his late swinging yorkers, Malinga proved to be one of the top bowlers of his era. He was known to leave his impact on the game, as he did against New Zealand in the 2013 edition, where his best came as he picked four wickets for 34 runs.
1. Kyle Mills - 28 Wickets In 15 Matches
And finally, at the top of the list is New Zealand's legendary pacer Kyle Mills. Mills, who is the highest wicket-taker in the Champions Trophy history, first played in the 2002 season and featured until the 2013 edition. He featured in 15 matches to grab 28 wickets for his side as the right-armer bowled with an economy of 4.29 while his average was just 17.25.
His best performance came against England in the 2013 edition, where he bagged figures of 4 for 30. Moreover, his most remarkable was the 2006 edition, where he bagged a total of 10 wickets in just four matches. During his tenure, the Kiwis were a formidable side as Mills would often pick wickets at crucial junctures of the game.
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