Top 5 bowlers with most wickets between 2003 and 2007 World Cup

Cricket may be a batsman's game with the willow dominating the ball in general, but bowlers have also shown that they can decide matches on their own as well.

The period between the 2003 and 2007 ODI World Cup saw a number of changes being brought into the game of cricket with the most significant one being the arrival of T20 cricket at the international stage.

The abridged version of the game meant that the bowlers had to alter their style to meet the demands of modern day cricket and it kind of brought about an aggressive change from the bowler's point of view as well with the focus towards picking up wickets and not just containing runs.

It had a ripple effect on the ODI format as well with the batsmen becoming more aggressive and bowlers started picking up more wickets than earlier.

Let's take a look at the bowlers with the most ODI wickets during the above mentioned period and as one would see, it is one dominated by the fast bowlers.

#5 Ajit Agarkar (India) - 106 wickets

Ajit Agarkar was a maverick in the ODI format for India and was even touted as Kapil Dev's successor when he started out. Though he failed to live up to those hefty expectations, Agarkar did have a fruitful Indian career, especially in the ODI format.

With 288 ODI wickets to his name, Agarkar is India's third highest wicket-taker in the 50-over format and was a part of the 1999. 2003 and 2007 World Cup squads.

However, he didn't get to feature in any of the matches in the 2003 edition of the tournament and his performances since the tournament showed that the Indian team management might have missed a trick by not playing Agarkar in South Africa.

In 70 matches leading up to the 2007 World Cup in West Indies, Agarkar picked up 106 wickets at an average of 25.69.

His economy rate of 4.92 during the period was better than his overall career economy of 5.07 - something which has always been held against the all-rounder.

Agarkar picked up two five-wicket hauls during the period including his career-best figures of 6/42 against Australia during the 2003/04 VB series at Melbourne.

#4 Muttiah Muralitharan (Sri Lanka) - 111 wickets

Muralitharan conceded runs at less than 4-an-over during the period.

Sri Lankan spin wizard Muttiah Muralitharan was the fourth-most successful bowler in ODIs during the period between the 2003 and 2007 World Cup, picking up 111 wickets from 74 matches.

Always a menace for the opposition batsmen, Murali conceded runs at a miserly 3.87 runs-an-over and had an outstanding bowling average of 23.67 during the period.

The world's leading wicket-taker in both ODI and Test history, Muralitharan had a memorable few years since the 2003 World Cup as he was named the Wisden Leading Cricketer of the Year in 2006.

He formed a fruitful partnership with Chaminda Vaas and was the backbone of the Sri Lankan bowling attack for a number of years and was simply too good to keep away from record books for long.

#3 Irfan Pathan (India) - 115 wickets

Irfan Pathan had a dream start to his international career before fading away into the oblivion

The golden boy of Indian cricket once upon a time, Irfan Pathan had a dream start to his career before tailing off in quick time and the chances of the 33-year-old making an international return now looks very slim.

The period between the 2003 and 2007 World Cup proved to the best part of Pathan's international career as he picked up 115 wickets from just 73 ODIs.

He also added value to the side with his batting abilities and had a good run in the Indian side during Greg Chappell's reign as coach. His statistics proved that it was a richly deserved one as well.

Though his economy was slightly on the higher side, Pathan made up for it with his wicket-taking abilities and he always looked dangerous with the amount of swing he could generate.

It is a shame that he couldn't carry on with his form and never managed to claw his way back after losing his way.

#2 Makhaya Ntini (South Africa) - 132 wickets

Ntini is a Proteas legend in his own right

The first ethnic black player to play for South Africa, Makhaya Ntini retired as one of Proteas' greatest bowlers in history and he had a fruitful period between the 2003 and the 2007 World Cup picking up 132 wickets from just 76 ODIs.

Among the top 5 wicket-takers in ODIs during the period, Ntini possessed the best average - a lowly 22.05 - as well as the best strike-rate.

His career-best figures of 6/22 also came during the period as he single-handedly destroyed Australia at Cape Town in March 2006.

Opening the bowling as well as tasked with shelling it during the death overs, Ntini bowled at a very economical rate, forging an excellent partnership with Shaun Pollock at the peak of his career.

#1 Brett Lee (Australia) - 147 wickets

Lee's pace coupled with aggression proved to be a deadly combination

Australia's smiling assassin Brett Lee was the world's most successful ODI bowler during the period between the 2003 and 2007 ODI World Cup, picking up 147 wickets from just 86 matches.

Remaining injury-free was key to Lee's success during the period as he enjoyed an uninterrupted run in the side

He picked up a four-wicket haul six times and a five-wicket haul on three occasions during the period as he blew away the opposition with his fiery pace alongside the deadly accurate Glenn McGrath, proving to be his ideal foil.

With 380 ODI wickets to his name, which also included 22 wickets in the 2003 World Cup helping Australia clinch the trophy, Lee was an outstanding player, not just with the ball, but also handy with the bat.