The top-ranked teams in the world of international cricket depend on their all-rounders because they come with a variety of skill sets. The game of cricket has a limited number of all-rounders owing to its difficulty.
The four all-rounders who ruled international cricket during the 1980’s were India’s Kapil Dev, New Zealand’s Richard Hadlee, Pakistan’s Imran Khan and England’s Ian Botham. Hadlee made 589 dismissals and scored 4875 runs, while Kapil took 687 international wickets and made 9031 runs.
Also, former Pakistan captain Imran took 544 international wickets and scored 7516 runs. As for the numbers of Botham, he claimed 528 international scalps in addition to having accumulated 7313 runs.
Here are the 3 all-rounders who have accumulated over 10,000 runs and taken more than 500 wickets in international cricket:
#3 Jacques Kallis
South Africa’s Jacques Kallis has played a staggering 519 international matches and scored 25534 runs in his career which lasted for many years. His batting average stands at 49.10 with sixty-two centuries and 149 half-centuries to his name. He also took 573 wickets while bowling at an average of 32.14 in 75 wicket hauls.
This man played in 166 Test matches where he scored 13289 with a 55.37 average as well as 45 tons and 58 half tons. He claimed 292 wickets with the ball at an average of 32.65, which includes five-fers.
At 48 years old, he participated in 328 one-day matches where he scored 11579 runs with a strike rate of 44.36 including 17 centuries and 86 fifties. As far as his bowling performance in this format is concerned, he took a total of 273 wickets giving an average of 31.79, including two five-wicket hauls.
In terms of T20I statistics, the Proteas exports played 25 games where he amassed a total of 666 runs with a 35.05 average and a 119.35 strike rate including five half-centuries to his credit. He also got 12 wickets at an average of 27.75 when he bowled for the best figures being 4-15 in one inning only.
#2 Shakib Al Hasan
Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has played 443 international matches and taken an impressive total of 703 wickets in all formats of the game at an average of 28.25 which includes 25 five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket match hauls. In terms of batting, he has a career record of 14626 runs at an average of 34.09 including 14 centuries and 100 half-centuries.
Shakib has participated in 67 Test matches scoring 4506 runs with a batting average of 38.83 encompassing five centuries and thirty-one 50s. With the ball, he has taken 237 wickets at an impressive bowling average of 31.16 including nineteen five-wicket hauls plus two ten-wicket innings.
At 37 years old, he has recorded 7570 runs in 247 ODIs with an average of 37.29, having made nine tons and 56 half-centuries. In the same number of games, he has bagged 317 wickets in one-dayers at an economy rate of 29.52 and four times taking five wickets.
In the thirty-formats, Shakib has played 129 matches taking 149 wickets for an average of 20.91 and two times claimed a five-wicket haul. He also made a total of 2551 runs off that bat with a strike rate of 121.18, including 13 half-centuries gained along the way.
#1 Shahid Afridi
Shahid Afridi was Pakistan’s former captain who played 524 international matches in his lifetime, scoring 11196 runs at an average of 23.92 and strike rate of 114.14, with 11 hundred and 51 fifties. In addition to this, he bagged 541 wickets at an average of 32.78, while taking 10 five-fers throughout his career.
As far as Test cricket is concerned, Afridi played 27 matches during which he made 1716 runs at a mean score of 36.51 including five centuries and eight half-centuries. By his leg spin deliveries, he claimed 48 wickets at an average of 35.60 bringing in for himself one five-fer among them all.
The 44-year-old has also played in 398 matches in ODIs, amassing 8064 runs at a strike rate of 117, scoring six centuries and thirty-nine half-centuries. In addition, Afridi has also taken 395 wickets at an average of 34.51 including nine five-wicket hauls.
For his T20I figures, Afridi appeared in 99 games and scored 1416 runs with a strike rate of 150, featuring four half-centuries. Meanwhile, as its leg-spin bowler, the former Pakistan captain managed to grab 98 wickets at an average of 24.44 including 4 for 11 being his best.
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