Highest Wicket Taker in Women’s International Cricket: Bowlers Who Continue to Live It Large

Summary

When people talk about the highest wicket-taker in women's international cricket, one name settles the debate before it even begins. Jhulan Goswami. The Indian pacer retired in 2022 with 355 wickets across Tests, ODIs, and T20Is, built over two decades of bowling.

More followed in her footsteps. Shabnim Ismail was one of the first to bring genuine pace to the game, and Ellyse Perry transformed potential into a career that has reshaped the women's game.

These are bowlers who did not just take wickets, they changed how the sport was seen globally.

Highest Wicket Takers in Women's International Cricket (Overall List)

Every bowler on this list crossed 300 international wickets — a mark that did not exist in women's cricket until Jhulan Goswami became the first to reach it in 2018. The names that followed did so across different eras, different formats, and with very different styles. What they share is the kind of consistency that only shows up after years of doing the hard work quietly.

Who is Jhulan Goswami

Known as the “Chakda Express,” Jhulan Goswami transformed fast bowling in women’s cricket. She debuted for India in 2002 and spent the next 20 years becoming the most successful wicket-taker the game has ever seen.

In 2017, she broke Cathryn Fitzpatrick’s long-standing ODI record and later became the first woman to cross 200 ODI wickets. Her ability to maintain discipline, swing, and control over such a long career made her one of cricket’s most respected athletes.

Shabnim Ismail

Very few bowlers have been able to intimidate batters like Shabnim Ismail. The South African quickly built her reputation on pace and aggression, regularly troubling the best batting line-ups in the world.

With 191 ODI wickets and more than 120 T20I wickets, Ismail became one of the fastest bowlers women’s cricket has ever seen.

Katherine Sciver-Brunt

England’s Katherine Sciver-Brunt combined aggression with remarkable consistency. Across nearly two decades, she became England’s leading wicket-taker in both ODIs and T20Is.

Her unforgettable spell in the 2009 Women’s World T20 final helped England lift the trophy and cemented her place among the game’s greatest seam bowlers.

Ellyse Perry

Ellyse Perry remains one of the most complete all-rounders in cricket history. While her batting often grabs headlines, her bowling record is equally extraordinary.

With over 300 international wickets alongside more than 7,000 international runs, Perry has redefined what an all-rounder can achieve in modern cricket.

Anisa Mohammed

West Indies spinner Anisa Mohammed quietly built one of the most impressive bowling careers in women’s cricket.

Her control and consistency helped her cross 300 international wickets, making her one of the greatest spinners the women’s game has produced.

Highest Wicket Taker by Format

Most Wickets in Women’s ODI Cricket

Jhulan Goswami dominates the ODI charts with 255 wickets, comfortably ahead of every other bowler in women’s cricket history.

Most Wickets in Women’s T20 Cricket

India’s Deepti Sharma currently leads the Women’s T20I wicket-taking charts, continuing her rise as one of the most impactful modern-day spinners.

Most Wickets in Women’s Test Cricket

Women’s Tests may be rare, but the format has still produced legendary bowling performances over the decades.

Also Read: Highest Run Scorer in Women’s International Cricket: Batting Legends Who Truly Live It Large

Records like these are never built overnight. Behind every wicket is years of discipline, sacrifice, pressure, and persistence.

Jhulan Goswami bowled with the same consistency and reliability for two decades. Shabnim Ismail charged in at full pace year after year. Ellyse Perry kept reinventing herself every time the game changed around her. None of this was accidental — it takes a special kind of mindset to consistently stay at the top of the game as they have. That is what ‘LIVING IT LARGE’ actually looks like.

Not a single big season, but sustained excellence across formats, conditions, and careers that spanned the better part of twenty years.

India's Best Women Bowlers of All Time — Jhulan Goswami

Chakdaha is a small town in West Bengal's Nadia district. But Jhulan Goswami was never destined for a small story. She went from there to Lord's, picked up 255 ODI wickets along the way, and became the kind of cricketer that an entire generation of Indian women pointed to when asked why they picked up a ball.

Twenty years at the international level is rare in any sport. Twenty years as a fast bowler, consistently taking wickets across conditions and formats, is the kind of consistency that makes you an all-time great. She was able to adapt and evolve her game based on the format and conditions of the game. This ability is what enabled her to become the most dependable bowler in the squad and the greatest bowler of the sport.

Conclusion

The conversation started with Jhulan Goswami, but it doesn't end there. Katherine Sciver-Brunt gave England 19 years of controlled aggression at the top of the bowling order. Ellyse Perry made Australia almost impossible to beat by being equally dangerous with bat and ball. Shabnim Ismail reminded the world that women's cricket had pace bowlers who could genuinely frighten a batting line-up. Anisa Mohammed kept West Indies competitive through sheer reliability over a career that most players would not have the stamina to sustain.

Women's cricket has always had outstanding bowlers. The world is simply paying more attention now.

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