Tallest Cricketers in the World: 10 Players Ranked

Mohammad Irfan of Pakistan is widely regarded as the tallest cricketer to have played international cricket, with ESPNcricinfo placing him at a consensus height of 6 ft 10.5 in despite varying reports. He heads a list dominated by fast bowlers, whose height helped them release the ball from unusual angles and extract steep bounce. Height alone never guaranteed success, but it has often been a striking physical advantage in cricket.

Why a definitive height ranking is difficult

Cricket has no single central register for player heights, and listed measurements can differ across publications, teams and eras. Mohammad Irfan is the clearest example: ESPNcricinfo noted in 2011 that reports had placed him anywhere between 6 ft 10 in and 7 ft 4 in, while identifying 6 ft 10.5 in as the broad consensus. Rankings should therefore be read as a guide to the exceptionally tall players known to have played at professional or international level, rather than an exact scientific leaderboard.

The names below are ordered using the heights reported in historical ESPNcricinfo features. Where players share a listed height, they are grouped closely rather than separated by an artificial margin. The list also demonstrates why tall cricketers are frequently remembered as bowlers: added release height can make good-length deliveries rise sharply towards the batter’s gloves or splice.

Top 10 tallest cricketers

1. Mohammad Irfan — Pakistan

Mohammad Irfan’s unusual stature made him one of the most instantly recognisable fast bowlers in international cricket. ESPNcricinfo’s 2011 assessment described him as the tallest international cricketer, with a consensus measurement of 6 ft 10.5 in. It also recorded the wide range of heights attributed to him, which is why claims that he was exactly seven feet or more should be treated carefully.

Irfan’s height offered an obvious advantage: he could deliver from a release point well above that of most bowlers. Yet the same profile noted that he was slower than some had expected and could be ponderous in the field. His career remains a reminder that physical dimensions create possibilities, but skill, pace, fitness and control still decide whether a bowler succeeds consistently.

2. Will Jefferson — England county cricket

Will Jefferson is an important inclusion because the tallest players in cricket have not all been bowlers. At 6 ft 10 in, he was described by ESPNcricinfo as the tallest opening batter to have played professional cricket. He made his Essex debut in 2000 and went on to play 119 first-class matches, scoring 17 centuries and recording a highest score of 222.

Jefferson’s career showed both the opportunities and challenges faced by a very tall specialist batter. A large frame can give a player reach and power, but it can also demand precise balance and movement against fast bowling. ESPNcricinfo noted that injuries affected his career, and he retired in 2012 without playing for England.

3. Joel Garner — West Indies

Joel Garner, known as “Big Bird”, stood 6 ft 8.5 in and was one of the most effective fast bowlers in West Indies cricket history. His height was allied with pace, accuracy and a yorker that was especially difficult to negotiate. The ball could appear to come from above a batter’s natural eyeline before dipping sharply at the feet.

According to ESPNcricinfo, Garner finished with 146 ODI wickets at an average of 18.84 and an economy rate of 3.09. In Tests, he took 259 wickets at a cost of fewer than 21 runs each. Those figures underline the crucial distinction in any discussion of tall cricketers: Garner was not memorable merely because of his frame, but because he transformed that frame into sustained wicket-taking quality.

4. Curtly Ambrose — West Indies

Curtly Ambrose was slightly shorter than Garner, at around 6 ft 8 in, but brought similar menace to the West Indies pace attack. His bowling combined a steep trajectory with relentless accuracy and an intimidating presence. He was particularly difficult to attack because even attempted aggressive shots had to contend with bounce that could arrive higher than expected.

ESPNcricinfo credited Ambrose with 630 international wickets, including 405 in Tests. His famous competitiveness was part of his appeal, but his results were founded on formidable skill. The example of Ambrose is useful when judging modern tall bowlers: height can create bounce, but the ability to repeatedly land the ball in demanding areas is what makes that bounce genuinely threatening.

5. Tony Greig — England

Tony Greig was listed at 6 ft 7.5 in in ESPNcricinfo’s 2011 feature and was one of the game’s most notable tall allrounders. He played 58 consecutive Tests for England between 1972 and 1977. His cricket was marked by confidence, powerful batting and brisk medium-pace bowling, though he could also use offspin when circumstances called for it.

Greig’s career illustrates the value of height beyond fast bowling. His large frame helped him hit with authority, reach full deliveries and command the field as a leader. In a later ESPNcricinfo feature, he was described as a complete allrounder with 3,599 Test runs, eight centuries and 141 wickets in 58 Tests.

6. Sulieman Benn — West Indies

At 6 ft 7 in, Sulieman Benn was a strikingly tall player in a role more commonly associated with shorter bowlers: slow left-arm spin. His inclusion challenges the assumption that tall cricketers must be fast bowlers. ESPNcricinfo described him as a crafty left-armer who adapted to the demands of 50-over and 20-over cricket and often opened the bowling.

For a spinner, height can change the trajectory of the ball and make the bounce harder to predict. Benn could also use his long reach effectively in close-catching positions such as gully. For readers exploring unusual player profiles and cricket perspectives, TheCricScope offers further discussion of how physical attributes can influence roles within the game.

7. Tom Moody — Australia

Tom Moody, listed at 6 ft 7 in, was a tall Australian batting allrounder who could contribute with both bat and medium-pace swing. ESPNcricinfo described him as a powerful player through the covers, a very good slip fielder and a natural leader. His height was an advantage in the cordon, where reach and safe hands are invaluable.

Moody played eight Tests and 76 ODIs for Australia, and he was a member of two World Cup-winning squads. Unlike the specialist fast bowlers above him, he represented the broader usefulness of tall allrounders. His physical presence supported several aspects of his cricket, from power hitting to fielding, without defining the entirety of his value.

8. Lisle Nagel — Australia

Lisle Nagel stood 6 ft 6 in and used his height effectively in domestic cricket for Victoria. ESPNcricinfo noted that he took 8 for 32 against Douglas Jardine’s MCC tourists in 1932-33, a performance that earned him selection for Australia in the first Test of the Bodyline series. He could swing the ball, though he was not considered especially quick.

Nagel’s international career was brief: he took 2 for 110 in a heavy defeat and did not play for Australia again. Still, his story shows that remarkable height has long been part of cricket’s history. Tall bowlers in earlier eras also sought the same benefits seen today—bounce, leverage and an awkward angle for batters.

9. Maurice Allom — England

Maurice Allom was around 6 ft 6 in and made an extraordinary start to Test cricket. On his debut against New Zealand in Christchurch in 1929-30, he took four wickets in five balls. That achievement remains the defining moment of a short but memorable Test career and illustrates how a tall fast bowler could create immediate uncertainty for opponents.

Allom was also known for his personality away from the game, including playing saxophone in a jazz band. His story is a useful counterpoint to the idea that height determines a player’s entire identity. Tall cricketers may be remembered first for their appearance, but cricket history retains them because of performances, character and distinctive moments.

10. Peter Fulton — New Zealand

Peter Fulton was listed at 6 ft 6 in and described by ESPNcricinfo as the tallest New Zealand batter to have played at that level. Nicknamed “Two-Metre Peter”, he was a top-order player whose presence at the crease could be imposing. His 301 not out for Canterbury against Auckland in 2003 helped bring him wider attention.

Fulton played 23 Tests for New Zealand and scored two centuries. His inclusion, alongside Jefferson, emphasises that a height ranking is not simply a parade of fast bowlers. Tall batters can use their reach and power effectively, though they must also maintain the footwork and balance required to cope with movement, spin and changing bounce.

Height is an advantage, not a guarantee

The tallest cricketers have added a memorable visual dimension to the sport, but their records reveal different paths. Garner and Ambrose became elite fast bowlers; Greig and Moody contributed as allrounders; Benn used exceptional height as a spinner; and Jefferson and Fulton showed that towering batters could also thrive. Mohammad Irfan remains the leading name in discussions of cricket’s tallest international player, but every player on this list demonstrates that height mattered most when matched by cricketing ability.