Top 10 bowlers with most wickets in Under 19 World Cup history

Kwena Maphaka leads the list with 28 wickets in just 9 matches.

The ICC Under 19 World Cup is the premier international tournament organised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for players under the age of 19. It was first contested in 1988 as the Youth Cricket World Cup, with the next edition held in 1998. Since then, the tournament has been conducted as a biennial event by the ICC.

It serves as a platform for young prodigy cricketers to showcase their skills and represent their nations on the global stage. Among the Full Member nations, India have won the tournament a record five times, followed by Australia with four titles, Pakistan with two, and Bangladesh, England, South Africa, and the West Indies with one title each.

The competition has consistently produced future stars who later become key players for their senior national teams. Many bowlers, in particular, have impressed the cricketing world with their exceptional performances.

On that note, let’s take a look at the top 10 bowlers with the most wickets in U19 World Cup history.

10. Raymond Haoda – 23 wickets

At number 10 on the list is Papua New Guinea cricketer Raymond Haoda. The right-arm medium-fast bowler has taken 23 wickets in the 12 U19 World Cup matches he played. He represented PNG in two editions of the tournament, first in 2010 and then in 2012.

Known for his consistency and ability to trouble batters with disciplined bowling, his best spell in the tournament came with impressive figures of 5/34.

9. Paras Khadka – 23 wickets

At number 9 is one of Nepal’s legendary all-rounders, Paras Khadka. He took 23 wickets in the U19 World Cup, playing 17 matches across three editions. He first represented Nepal in the U19 World Cup in 2004, followed by appearances in 2006 and 2008. He also bowled with an impressive economy rate of 3.16.

8. Rahul Kumar Vishwakarma – 23 wickets

At number 8 is another Nepali cricketer, Rahul Kumar Vishwakarma. He made his debut for Nepal in the U19 World Cup 2008 and last played in the 2012 U19 World Cup.

He also took 23 wickets in the 11 matches he played for the national team. His consistent performances with the ball made him one of Nepal’s key wicket-taking bowlers in youth cricket.

7. Wayne Parnell – 23 wickets

South African all-rounder Wayne Parnell was a prodigy who impressed everyone with his skill and talent in the 2006 and 2008 U19 World Cups.

He managed to pick up 23 wickets in just 9 matches, with his best bowling figures being an outstanding 6/8. His match-winning performances and all-round abilities made him one of the standout players of the tournament.

6. Tim Bresnan – 25 wickets

At the height of his powers, Tim Bresnan became known as England’s lucky charm. The powerfully built all-rounder took 25 wickets for England in 13 U19 World Cup matches spanning two editions. He made his debut in the 2002 World Cup and then also played in the 2004 World Cup.

He went on to represent the England senior team in many international matches, becoming a key contributor with both bat and ball.

5. Abhishek Sharma – 26 wickets

Abhishek Sharma was an Indian cricketer who represented India in the 2002 and 2004 U19 World Cups. He took 26 wickets in the 14 matches he played across both editions and emerged as one of the top bowlers for Indian cricket in the Youth World Cup.

4. Greg Thompson – 27 wickets

Greg James Thompson is an Irish cricketer from Northern Ireland. He is a right-handed batsman and a leg-break bowler.

Thompson represented Ireland in the 2004 and 2006 U19 World Cups, where he took 27 wickets, showcasing his effectiveness as a key bowler for the team. He played a crucial role in strengthening Ireland’s bowling attack during those tournaments.

3. Moises Henriques – 27 wickets

Moises Henriques is another brilliant Aussie all-rounder who made his name early in youth cricket, representing Australia in the 2004 and 2006 U19 World Cups.

He took 27 wickets at an average of 14 and an economy rate of 3.5. Later, he represented the Australian senior team for many years and continued to contribute at the highest level.

2. Wessly Madhevere – 28 wickets

At the top of the chart, sharing the record, is Zimbabwe cricketer Wesley Madhevere. Wesley represented the Zimbabwe team in the 2016, 2018, and 2020 U19 World Cups and contributed with both bat and ball in all these tournaments, taking 28 wickets, the joint most by a player in U19 World Cup history. His brilliance in youth cricket also earned him a call-up to the national team.

1. Kwena Maphaka – 28 wickets

Kwena Maphaka is another young prodigy from the South African team. He represented South Africa in the 2022 and 2024 U19 World Cups and took 28 wickets in just 9 matches. He shocked everyone with his talent, picking up 21 wickets in a single edition and being named Player of the Tournament.

At such a young age, he was approached to play in various T20 leagues around the world, highlighting his rapid rise in international cricket.

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