It is easy to drool for cricket players. Donning their brilliant caps and spiked shoes, their elegance makes the sports even merrier to watch.
Aside from their smashing uniform, we love those epic runs on the pitch, and we bet on them too. Indian punters are regularly Logging in the Bet365 website to stake on the team with the highest runs when their favorite teams clash.
But aside from the prolific capacity to complete those epic runs and score, there are some cricketers that stand out for their unnaturally prolific height.
In this article, we will learn about the lives and careers of the eight tallest players ever to play cricket.
Table of Contents
Mohammad Irfan – 7’1″ (2.16m)
Mohammad Irfan is the tallest Cricketer ever at 7’1″ and is from Pakistan. Born in Punjab on June 6 1982, Irfan played as a bowler for the Pakistan National team, and he played for the national team between 2010 and 2019.
To support his family financially, Irfan worked for a local rubber pipe company before being called to replace an injured national team player.
In September 2010, he made his One Day International (ODI) debut against England, but his performance wasn’t impressive in a match they lost.
The turnaround game in his Twenty20 International (T20I) debut in December 2012, where he led the Pakistan national team to a win against India.
This also earned him his test debut in February 2013 against South Africa. He has 631 wickets in 430 matches across test, ODI, T20, T20I, First Class, and List A categories.
William Boyd Rankin – 6’8.5″ (2.04m)
William Boyd Rankin is a Northern Irish cricket player 6’8.5″ tall. He was born in Derry on July 5, 1984, and plays as a bowler.
Rankin represented Ireland and England’s national cricket teams before his retirement in May 2021. He is known for his unique bouncing action while bowling. Also, he holds a degree in agriculture from Harper Adams University College in Shropshire.
Boyd Rankin made his ODI debut for Australia in January 2007 against Bermuda. His T20I debut came about 2 years later against Bangladesh in June 2009. He switched from playing for Ireland for England and made his test debut against his former team in January 2014.
However, Rankin returned to the Australian team in December 2015 and represented them in ICC World Twenty20 in 2016. Cricket Ireland awarded him a central contract in 2019 and 2020.
Rankin played 3 tests, 50 T20I, 75 ODI, and 108 FC matches, having 8, 55,106, and 352 wickets, respectively.
Cameron Cuffy – 6’8″ (2.03m)
Cameron Cuffy was born on February 8, 1970, and played as a right-arm fast bowler for the West Indies team. He represented between 1990 and 2002.
Cuffy stands at 6’8″ and was once awarded man of the match in an ODI match with no wicket, runs, or holding catch.
Meanwhile, he started his international career as he debuted in an ODI match against India in October 1994. His Test debut came a month later, and it was also against India.
He couldn’t make it to any T20 match for his nation, as his test matches were on and off.
However, Cuffy played his last match for his country against Bangladesh in December 2002 before retiring.
He played 15 Test matches with 43 wickets, 41 ODI matches with 42 wickets, 86 First Class matches with 252 wickets, and 98 List-A matches with 105 wickets.
Joel Garner – 6’8″ (2.03m)
Standing at 6’8″ height, Joel Garner played for the West Indies National cricket team between 1977 and 1987 before retiring in 1987.
He was born on December 16, 1952, in Christ Church, Barbados, and played as a right-handed fast bowler. According to ICC, Garner holds the best ODI bowling ratings ever.
Following his successful spell at Littleborough, Garner joined Somerset and won five trophies. His debut for west indies was against Pakistan in a February 1977 test match, and his ODI debut was the same year in March and also against Pakistan.
With 259 wickets in 58 test matches, he is the most effective bowler ever.
However, Joel Garner played 58 test fixtures, 98 ODI, 214 First Class, and 256 List A matches and had 259, 186, 881, and 397 wickets, respectively. He was a runner-up at the 1983 ICC World Cup against India.
Peter George – 6’8″ (2.03m)
Peter Robert George is an Australian cricketer born in Woodville, South Australia, on October 16 1986. He played as a right-arm bowler and is one of the tallest cricket players ever, at 6’7″.
Peter played his only test match for the Australian national team against India in October 2010, and he took 2 wickets. His debut in a First Class match was for Redbacks in November 2008.
He played 1 test match with 2 wickets, 64 First Class matches with 207 wickets, and 22 List A matches with 25 wickets.
Bruce Reid – 6’8″ (2.03m)
Bruce Anthony Reid is another Australian on this list. He played for the Australian national team between December 1985 and December 1992.
He is 6 ‘8″ tall and plays as a left-arm fast bowler. Bruce Anthony was born in Perth, Western Australia, in 1963.
Meanwhile, his test debut was against India in December 1985, while his ODI debut was in January 1986 against New Zealand. He played solely for Western Australia for 11 seasons.
Bruce played 27 test matches and 61 ODI matches for Australia, taking 113 and 63 wickets, respectively. Similarly, he played 96 First Class with 350 wickets and 96 List A matches, taking 106 wickets.
Kyle Jamieson – 6’8″ (2.03m)
Kyle Jamieson is the tallest New Zealand cricketer at 6’8″ height. Born on December 30, 1994, he started playing as a battling all-rounder before he was converted to a right-arm fast bowler in 2012.
Kyle made his test and ODI debuts in February 2020, both against India. However, his T20I debut was in March 2021 against the West Indies.
He currently plays for Chennai Super Kings and has played 16 Test, 8 ODI, 47 FC, and 36 LA matches taking 72, 11, 168, and 48 wickets, respectively.
Sulieman Benn – 6’7″ (2.01m)
Sulieman Jamaal Benn is a West Indian cricketer born in Saint James, Barbados, on July 22, 1981. He played for the West Indies national team between March 2008 and November 2016. Benn is 6 ‘7″ tall and plays as a left-arm spin bowler.
After making his Test debut in Match 2008 against Sri Lanka, he made his ODI debut the following month against the same team. He represented West Indies in 26 Test matches taking 87 wickets and 47 ODIs with 31 wickets. Also, he played 99 FC games and 116 LA matches, taking 379 and 139 wickets, respectively.
Conclusion
While cricketers need mental and physical strength, height, however, appears to give players an edge over their colleagues. Meanwhile, we have discussed the eight all-time tallest cricket players globally in this post. Interestingly, they are all bowlers.