Jasprit Bumrah removed, Pakistan player given the summit! Kagiso Rabada ranks legendary ODI pacers
Published - 03 Oct 2025, 10:37 AM | Updated - 03 Oct 2025, 10:49 AM
South African fast bowler Kagiso Rabada recently took part in a blind ranking of legendary ODI pacers, including himself, during an appearance on the Beard Before Wicket Podcast. Rabada placed former Pakistan bowler Waqar Younis at the top of the list, ahead of Jasprit Bumrah, Mitchell Starc, and others.
The pacer has established himself as South Africa’s premier fast bowler across formats since his international cricket debut. He has taken 168 wickets in 106 ODIs at an average of 27.45, including two five-wicket hauls. The 31-year-old bowler also holds the best-ever ODI figures (6 for 16) by a South African pacer.
Watch: Kagiso Rabada Blind Ranks Among Legendary ODI Pacers
In a video shared on Instagram, Kagiso Rabada was asked to blind rank bowlers one after the other. Rabada placed former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis at the top for his ability to reverse swing the cherry.
Younis is third on the all-time leading wicket-takers list in One Day Internationals. He picked up 416 wickets from 262 ODIs at an average of 23.84, including 13 five-wicket hauls.
Rabada named fellow South Africans Dale Steyn and Shaun Pollock as second and third. Steyn took 196 ODI wickets at 25.95, while Pollock claimed 393 wickets at an average of 24.50. Pollock is the sixth-highest wicket-taker in ODI history.
Watch the video of the same posted by the Beard Before Wicket Podcast on Instagram below:
View this post on Instagram
Kagiso Rabada Places Jasprit Bumrah Fourth in Blind Rankings
In Rabada’s blind ranking of top ODI pacers, Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah was placed fourth. Known for his ability to perform consistently in all phases of the game, Bumrah has taken 149 wickets in 89 ODIs at an average of 23.55.
Former Australian fast bowler Brett Lee secured the fifth spot. Lee, who played a key role in Australia’s ODI World Cup win in 2003, ended his career with 380 wickets at an average of 23.36.
New Zealand left-armer Trent Boult and Australia’s Mitchell Starc came in at sixth and seventh positions. Boult has claimed 211 wickets at an average of 24.38, while Starc has picked up 244 wickets at an average of 23.40.
Kagiso Rabada Places Himself Last in Blind Rankings
In Rabada’s blind ranking of top ODI pacers, former England bowler Stuart Broad and Sri Lankan legend Chaminda Vaas were placed eighth and ninth, respectively. Broad ended his ODI career with 178 wickets at an average of 30.13.
Vaas, one of only four bowlers to take 400 ODI wickets, finished with 400 scalps at an average of 27.53 across 322 matches. Rabada ranked himself tenth in the blind ranking.
Rabada's top 10 ODI pacers: 1. Waqar Younis 2. Dale Steyn 3. Shaun Pollock 4. Jasprit Bumrah 5. Brett Lee 6. Trent Boult 7. Mitchell Starc 8. Stuart Broad 9. Chaminda Vaas 10. Kagiso Rabada
Also read: Saim Ayub surpasses Hardik Pandya to become No.1 all-rounder in T20Is
Tagged:
Kagiso Rabada Jasprit Bumrah Waqar Younis Shaun Pollock Dale Steyn Brett Lee Trent Boult Mitchell Starc Stuart Broad Chaminda Vaas South Africa National Cricket TeamAbout the Author
Sai Vaitla is an author at Cricketaddictor and he has been working since September 2022. Sai Vaitla... Read more
