Cricket World Records: Batting, Bowling and Fielding Records in 2026
Cricket world records span 150 years of international competition. This guide covers the key batting, bowling, fielding and partnership records in Test, ODI and T20I cricket as of 2026.
Cricket world records span over 150 years of international competition across three formats. The records capture the sport's evolution from 19th century Test cricket to the modern T20 era — and reflect how profoundly conditions, equipment, playing surfaces and tactical approaches have changed. Some records (Bradman's 99.94 average, Lara's 400* individual Test score) appear likely to stand forever; others (most T20I centuries, fastest T20I centuries) continue to fall as the format matures.
Key Test Batting Records
- Highest individual Test score: Brian Lara — 400* (West Indies vs England, Antigua, 2004)
- Best Test batting average (career): Don Bradman — 99.94 (Australia, 1928-1948)
- Most Test runs: Sachin Tendulkar — 15,921 runs in 200 Tests
- Most Test centuries: Sachin Tendulkar — 51 centuries
- Fastest Test century: Brendon McCullum — 54 balls (New Zealand vs Australia, 2016)
Key Test Bowling Records
- Most Test wickets: Muttiah Muralitharan — 800 wickets (Sri Lanka, 1992-2010)
- Best Test innings bowling: Jim Laker — 10/53 (England vs Australia, Old Trafford, 1956)
- Best Test match bowling: Jim Laker — 19/90 (same match)
- Lowest Test bowling average (career, 50+ wickets): George Lohmann — 10.75 (England, 1886-1896)
- Most Test wickets in a calendar year: Shane Warne — 96 wickets (2005)
Key ODI and T20I Records
- Most ODI centuries: Virat Kohli — 54 centuries
- Highest ODI individual score: Martin Guptill — 237* (New Zealand vs West Indies, 2015 WC)
- Best ODI bowling: Chaminda Vaas — 8/19 (Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe, 2001)
- Most T20I runs: Rohit Sharma — 4,231 runs (as of retirement from T20Is, 2024)
- Highest T20I score: Aaron Finch — 172 (Australia vs Zimbabwe, Harare, 2018)
Frequently asked questions
Who holds the record for most international wickets across all formats?
Muttiah Muralitharan holds the record for most Test wickets (800) and most wickets across all international cricket formats combined (1,347 international wickets in Tests + ODIs + T20Is). His 800 Test wickets, taken between 1992 and 2010, is the most famous bowling record in cricket and is considered by many unlikely to be broken.
What is the highest team total in Test cricket?
The highest team total in Test cricket is 952 for 6 declared by Sri Lanka against India in Colombo in 1997. England's 903 for 7 declared against Australia at The Oval in 1938 is the second highest and was the record for nearly 60 years. Both totals were spread across multiple days, with batters having extended opportunities to bat on flat pitches.