Mohammad Irfan of Pakistan, 216 cm (7 ft 1 in), is the tallest cricketer to have played international cricket. That one line answers the headline. Everything else you’re about to read fills in the layers the internet so often misses—how heights are recorded, who’s currently active, who tops each format and league, what the tallest women cricketers look like on paper and on the field, and why height matters in cricket only if it’s trained into skill.
Before We Dive In: A Note on Sources
Height records vary by publication and sometimes drift over time. This guide uses ESPNcricinfo player pages as the baseline wherever available, supplemented by national board or county listings for players whose international bios don’t carry height fields. In other words, what you’ll see here is the most verifiable version of the truth in a sport that rarely measures up with a tape on debut day.
Tallest Cricketer Ever vs Currently Active
The tallest cricketer ever to play at international level
- Mohammad Irfan (Pakistan) — 216 cm (7 ft 1 in). Left‑arm fast, ODIs and T20Is. Source: ESPNcricinfo player profile.
The tallest cricketers currently active in international cricket
- Marco Jansen (South Africa) — 206 cm (6 ft 9 in). Left‑arm fast. Source: ESPNcricinfo.
- Billy Stanlake (Australia) — 204 cm (6 ft 8 in). Right‑arm fast. Source: ESPNcricinfo. Note: Injuries have interrupted stretches, but he remains an active professional fast bowler with international caps.
- Kyle Jamieson (New Zealand) — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in). Right‑arm fast. Source: ESPNcricinfo.
- Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe) — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in). Right‑arm fast. Source: ESPNcricinfo.
- Boyd Rankin (Ireland/England) — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in). Right‑arm fast. Source: ESPNcricinfo. Note: Late‑career availability varies; included here for completeness due to ongoing domestic involvement.
- Jason Holder (West Indies) — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in). Right‑arm fast‑medium, all‑rounder. Source: ESPNcricinfo.
- Reece Topley (England) — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in). Left‑arm fast‑medium. Source: ESPNcricinfo.
Two clarifiers that matter:
- Irfan is the tallest international cricketer ever recorded. That is the definitive top spot.
- Among active internationals, Marco Jansen sits at the summit, with Kyle Jamieson, Billy Stanlake, and Blessing Muzarabani bunched just below.
Top 10 Tallest Cricketers (All‑Time)
This all‑time list includes international and top‑tier domestic professionals. International status is shown so you can quickly see who did it on the biggest stage.
Table: Ten tallest professional cricketers on record
| Player | Height (cm / ft‑in) | Country | Role | International? | Primary source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mohammad Irfan | 216 / 7 ft 1 in | Pakistan | Left‑arm fast | Yes | ESPNcricinfo |
| Will Jefferson | 208 / 6 ft 10 in | England | Top‑order batter | No (first‑class & List A) | County records/ECB; widely reported |
| Marco Jansen | 206 / 6 ft 9 in | South Africa | Left‑arm fast | Yes | ESPNcricinfo |
| Billy Stanlake | 204 / 6 ft 8 in | Australia | Right‑arm fast | Yes | ESPNcricinfo |
| Boyd Rankin | 203 / 6 ft 8 in | Ireland/England | Right‑arm fast | Yes | ESPNcricinfo |
| Kyle Jamieson | 203 / 6 ft 8 in | New Zealand | Right‑arm fast | Yes | ESPNcricinfo |
| Bruce Reid | 203 / 6 ft 8 in | Australia | Left‑arm fast‑medium | Yes | ESPNcricinfo |
| Peter George | 203 / 6 ft 8 in | Australia | Right‑arm fast‑medium | Yes | ESPNcricinfo |
| Joel Garner | 203 / 6 ft 8 in | West Indies | Right‑arm fast | Yes | ESPNcricinfo |
| Blessing Muzarabani | 203 / 6 ft 8 in | Zimbabwe | Right‑arm fast | Yes | ESPNcricinfo |
Notes that help you read between the lines:
- Will Jefferson is often missed in “international‑only” lists, but across all professional cricket he is the most towering specialist batter on record. He never represented England, yet his county career remains a useful reference whenever people ask about the tallest batter to play the game.
- The clump at 203 cm includes multiple new‑ball specialists across eras and countries. If you’ve wondered why that measurement appears so often, it’s not a conspiracy—it’s simply a common ceiling for elite fast bowlers whose bodies can survive the volume of overs required.
Tallest by Format
Tallest Test cricketers
- Marco Jansen — 206 cm (6 ft 9 in), South Africa, left‑arm fast.
- Kyle Jamieson — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), New Zealand, right‑arm fast.
- Bruce Reid — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), Australia, left‑arm fast‑medium.
- Peter George — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), Australia, right‑arm fast‑medium.
- Joel Garner — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), West Indies, right‑arm fast.
- Boyd Rankin — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), Ireland/England, right‑arm fast.
Observation from the crease: the tallest Test quicks extract shoulder‑high bounce from a back‑of‑a‑length delivery that a 185 cm bowler would need to pitch shorter. That single difference redraws the length map—think of it as a two‑stump shift—forcing batters to commit early to front‑foot movements that still don’t guarantee safety. Jamieson’s wobble‑seam in seaming conditions, Jansen’s left‑arm angle targeting top of off and the splice, Reid’s steep lift on docile pitches—these are all directly tied to geometry at release.
Tallest ODI cricketers
- Mohammad Irfan — 216 cm (7 ft 1 in), Pakistan, left‑arm fast.
- Billy Stanlake — 204 cm (6 ft 8 in), Australia, right‑arm fast.
- Joel Garner — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), West Indies, right‑arm fast.
- Blessing Muzarabani — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), Zimbabwe, right‑arm fast.
- Jason Holder — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in), West Indies, right‑arm fast‑medium all‑rounder.
Garner’s ODI mastery came from the same visibility problem batters faced against him in Tests: the ball seemed to arrive on a steeper descent than your eyes suggested from the hand. Irfan, with his longer wingspan, used angles across the left‑hander and the heavy ball back into the right‑hander; when he located full length, his yorker felt heavier not just faster.
Tallest T20I cricketers
- Mohammad Irfan — 216 cm (7 ft 1 in), Pakistan, left‑arm fast.
- Kyle Jamieson — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), New Zealand, right‑arm fast.
- Reece Topley — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in), England, left‑arm fast‑medium.
- Jason Holder — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in), West Indies, right‑arm fast‑medium all‑rounder.
In the powerplay, tall T20 seamers bowl fuller than you think because their fuller length still arrives at the splice. In the death, they oscillate between hard‑length cross‑seam and throat‑high bouncers you must ride rather than hit. Holder’s length changes read brilliantly off his wrist, Topley’s left‑arm angle plus height makes a very awkward left‑hander matchup.
Tallest by League and Country
Tallest players in the IPL
- Billy Stanlake — 204 cm (6 ft 8 in), right‑arm fast. Featured as an overseas quick. Source: ESPNcricinfo.
- Kyle Jamieson — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), right‑arm fast. Source: ESPNcricinfo.
- Jason Holder — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in), right‑arm fast‑medium all‑rounder. Source: ESPNcricinfo.
- Additional tall presences: Kieron Pollard — 196 cm (6 ft 5 in), Morne Morkel — 196 cm (6 ft 5 in), Ishant Sharma — 193 cm (6 ft 4 in).
Tallest players in the PSL
- Mohammad Irfan — 216 cm (7 ft 1 in), left‑arm fast. Definitive tallest PSL player.
- Additional tall presences: Mohammad Hasnain — 191 cm (6 ft 3 in), Shaheen Afridi — 198 cm (6 ft 6 in) approximately, though official listings can vary; he is among the taller new‑ball left‑armers in the league.
Tallest players in the BBL
- Billy Stanlake — 204 cm (6 ft 8 in), right‑arm fast.
- Jason Behrendorff — 196 cm (6 ft 5 in), left‑arm fast‑medium.
- Joel Paris — 197 cm (6 ft 6 in), left‑arm fast‑medium.
The BBL has long leaned on tall left‑armers who open up the angle into the pads before straightening to fourth stump with bounce.
Tallest players in the CPL
- Jason Holder — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in), right‑arm fast‑medium all‑rounder.
- Sulieman Benn — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in), left‑arm orthodox spinner.
- Rahkeem Cornwall — 198 cm (6 ft 6 in), right‑arm off‑spin all‑rounder.
Caribbean tall spinners are a particular joy to watch. Benn’s overspin meant his good length landed in what looked like forward‑defend territory and still climbed the splice. Cornwall’s bulk draws headlines, but his height and strong fingers are what make his seam drop upright.
Tallest cricketers by country
- Pakistan: Mohammad Irfan — 216 cm (7 ft 1 in), left‑arm fast.
- India: Abey Kuruvilla — approximately 198 cm (6 ft 6 in); Pankaj Singh — 198 cm (6 ft 6 in). Among active Indian seamers, Ishant Sharma at 193 cm (6 ft 4 in) has long been the most visible tall presence in Tests. Sources: ESPNcricinfo/player bios, BCCI records.
- Australia: Billy Stanlake — 204 cm (6 ft 8 in); Bruce Reid — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in); Peter George — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in); Tom Moody — 200 cm (6 ft 7 in) as a tall batting all‑rounder. Source: ESPNcricinfo.
- England/Ireland: Will Jefferson — 208 cm (6 ft 10 in, domestic); Boyd Rankin — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in); Chris Tremlett — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in); Steven Finn — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in); Reece Topley — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in). Source: ESPNcricinfo.
- South Africa: Marco Jansen — 206 cm (6 ft 9 in); Morne Morkel — 196 cm (6 ft 5 in). Source: ESPNcricinfo.
- New Zealand: Kyle Jamieson — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in); Peter Fulton — 198 cm (6 ft 6 in) as a tall specialist batter. Source: ESPNcricinfo.
- West Indies: Joel Garner — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in); Curtly Ambrose — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in); Sulieman Benn — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in); Cameron Cuffy — around 201 cm (6 ft 7 in); Jason Holder — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in). Source: ESPNcricinfo.
- Zimbabwe: Blessing Muzarabani — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in). Source: ESPNcricinfo.
- Bangladesh: Taskin Ahmed — about 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) is tall by local standards. Source: ESPNcricinfo.
- Sri Lanka: The pace cupboard skews medium‑tall; Dushmantha Chameera and Lahiru Kumara sit in the mid‑180s cm range. Source: ESPNcricinfo.
- Afghanistan: The attack is rich in pace and spin variety rather than extreme height. Naveen‑ul‑Haq is around 183 cm (6 ft).
Tallest Women Cricketers
A gap in cricket writing: women’s height data is patchier because many official bios omit it. Where available through ESPNcricinfo or national boards, tall internationals include:
- Lauren Bell (England) — around 183 cm (6 ft). Right‑arm fast‑medium. A classic high‑release seamer whose natural length threatens the splice; nicknamed “The Shard” for more than marketing reasons. Source: ECB/ESPNcricinfo.
- Kate Cross (England) — around 183 cm (6 ft). Right‑arm fast‑medium. Command of back‑of‑a‑length combined with open‑shoulder alignment; a fine case study in tall‑seamer repeatability. Source: ECB/ESPNcricinfo.
- Jhulan Goswami (India) — approximately 180 cm (5 ft 11 in). Right‑arm fast‑medium. One of the great new‑ball practitioners; subtle wrist tilt and seam presentation made the ball lift late. Source: ESPNcricinfo.
- Sophie Ecclestone (England) — approximately 180 cm (5 ft 11 in). Left‑arm orthodox. Height shows up in her overspin; the ball drops from above the eyeline and kicks enough to beat the bat without side‑spin theatrics. Source: ESPNcricinfo.
- Darcie Brown (Australia) — around 180 cm (5 ft 11 in). Right‑arm fast‑medium. Strong front‑leg bracing, lively bounce. Source: CA/ESPNcricinfo.
If you’re scanning for a single “tallest woman cricketer ever” with firm numbers, that’s tougher to certify than the men’s side. The verified cluster at the top lives around the 180–183 cm band, with England supplying multiple new‑ball options and India’s Jhulan Goswami long the benchmark for height leveraged into skill.
Tallest by Role: Fast Bowler, Spinner, Batsman, Wicketkeeper
Tallest fast bowlers (international)
- Mohammad Irfan — 216 cm (7 ft 1 in), left‑arm fast.
- Marco Jansen — 206 cm (6 ft 9 in), left‑arm fast.
- Billy Stanlake — 204 cm (6 ft 8 in), right‑arm fast.
- Kyle Jamieson — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), right‑arm fast.
- Boyd Rankin — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), right‑arm fast.
- Bruce Reid — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), left‑arm fast‑medium.
- Peter George — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), right‑arm fast‑medium.
- Joel Garner — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), right‑arm fast.
- Blessing Muzarabani — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), right‑arm fast.
- Jason Holder — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in), right‑arm fast‑medium.
Tallest specialist batter (professional)
- Will Jefferson — 208 cm (6 ft 10 in), England, first‑class and List A specialist top‑order batter.
Notable tall international batters include Peter Fulton — 198 cm (6 ft 6 in) and Tom Moody — 200 cm (6 ft 7 in) as a batting all‑rounder. Their height provides a clean lens on both the reach advantage (fuller balls become hittable) and the yorker vulnerability (toe‑crusher territory fits neatly under a long stride).
Tallest spin bowlers (international)
- Sulieman Benn — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in), left‑arm orthodox.
- Rahkeem Cornwall — 198 cm (6 ft 6 in), right‑arm off‑spin.
Tall spinners use top‑spin to make otherwise gentle surfaces feel like they’ve grown a second deck. They don’t have to bowl quickly; they have to bowl down from height with a strong wrist behind the seam.
Tallest wicketkeepers (international, notable examples)
- Heinrich Klaasen — approximately 188 cm (6 ft 2 in).
- Adam Gilchrist — approximately 185 cm (6 ft 1 in).
- Shai Hope — approximately 183 cm (6 ft).
Tall keepers are not the norm, largely due to the physical demands of long crouches and lateral movement; yet this list proves it’s workable when footwork and core strength keep pace.
Does Height Help in Cricket?
Short answer: yes, but only if it’s coached into repeatable mechanics. Height without control turns into wides, knee‑high full tosses, and pitch‑map chaos. Height with control looks like Joel Garner’s yorker at will, Curtly Ambrose’s steep lifter that clocked batters on the splice, Jamieson’s ability to live on a length that few batters can comfortably drive, or Marco Jansen’s left‑arm angle that lands tight to off stump and still draws top‑edge swats behind point.
What height changes for fast bowlers
- Release height: A tall bowler’s ball meets the bat on a steeper plane; even when pitched fuller, it bites the top of the bat. That changes how batters pick length; the eye reads from the hand, but the actual bounce defies that reading.
- Margin for error: Tall bowlers can bowl what looks “full” and still avoid half‑volleys; the safe‑to‑drive zone shrinks. Conversely, when they miss short by an inch, the ball sits up at chest height rather than sailing for a second bounce.
- Seaming threat: With higher seam axis and a slightly fuller base length, they gain both lateral deviation and top‑edge angles. Watch Jamieson’s wobble seam: the length looks hittable, then it climbs just enough to take the edge or glove.
- Bouncer utility: The bumper arrives sharper. Irfan’s bouncer doesn’t have to be 150 kph to be effective; at 140 kph off 216 cm, it attacks the grill as if bowled from a staircase.
What height changes for spinners
- Over‑spin and drop: Tall spinners can impart heavy top‑spin, making the ball dip earlier and bounce steeper. On worn surfaces, the same delivery brings bat‑pad into play even with a defensive shot.
- Line and drift: The higher release often comes with a fuller arm path, enabling more drift inwards before straightening. Sulieman Benn’s best overs would start well outside off and finish at the splice with no side‑spin theatrics—just height and top‑spin.
What height changes for batters
- Reach and leverage: Lofted drives over mid‑off become safer because a tall batter can get on top of the bounce, and a yorker length must be truly a yorker to beat the reach. Think Tom Moody’s long levers or Peter Fulton hoisting seamers who mis‑pitched.
- Vulnerability: The bigger stride sometimes locks the front pad in line, inviting LBW to nip‑backers. Tight‑angle yorkers under the bat are vicious; the bat has to travel further to cover the toes.
- Back‑foot game: Against high bounce, tall batters can open their shoulders and flat‑bat; but on skiddy surfaces, that same torso length creates timing issues unless the back‑foot pull and cut are grooved.
What height changes for wicketkeepers
- Setup cost: A tall keeper must get lower sooner, keep the head still, and maintain soft hands. When it works, the reach helps on leg‑side takes and deflections. When it doesn’t, the first hour looks clumsy.
- Stumping window: Longer arms matter to spinners; tall keepers can take the ball from above the stumps and still flick the bails in one smooth action if footwork is sharp.
The Real‑World Edge: Stories from the Trenches
- The Irfan angle: Watch Irfan bowling around the wicket to a right‑hander with a new white ball. The angle plus release height means even “back‑of‑a‑length” arrives above the splice. Try to cut and the bat face opens; try to punch and you’re late. If he lands the fuller one, you have to trust your reach because his yorker from that height almost skids under the heel.
- Garner’s yorker: There’s a reason batters named him “Big Bird” with a smile and then a wince. His yorker wasn’t just full and fast—it was perfectly flat late in its flight because of the angle down from the hand. You’d think you could dig it out; you couldn’t.
- Jansen’s left‑arm trap: New‑ball spell, right‑hand batter, left‑arm quick from 206 cm. The field looks conventional, but the ball is aimed not at off stump; it’s at the outer edge of the splice. When you finally commit to a drive, the ball is in your ribs.
- Jamieson in seaming conditions: Wobble seam, fuller than most right away, with an upright wrist and a high gather. Batters can’t decide whether to play forward or back because the same length yields different bounce than they’ve learned from 185 cm seamers their whole life.
Tallest Indian Cricketers
India has rarely produced 2‑meter seamers, but two names dominate the height conversation at international level:
- Abey Kuruvilla — around 198 cm (6 ft 6 in), right‑arm fast‑medium, ODI caps. He was the original “skyscraper” in Indian pace circles, operating with a fuller length and a hooping outswinger.
- Pankaj Singh — 198 cm (6 ft 6 in), right‑arm fast‑medium, Test and ODI caps. With a high release and natural seam position, he thrived on the domestic circuit, occasionally unlucky at the international level.
- Ishant Sharma — 193 cm (6 ft 4 in). The most durable tall quick to wear India colors for an extended run. The release height plus a wobble seam learned later in his career allowed him to spearhead overseas tours on tracks that rewarded relentless hard length.
Who Is the Tallest Bowler in Cricket History?
You can file this under “settled.” Mohammad Irfan at 216 cm (7 ft 1 in) is the tallest bowler to represent a national side in internationals. Among active bowlers, Marco Jansen (206 cm) is next on the list. Stanlake (204 cm) and the 203 cm group round out the modern cluster. On pure tape‑measure, Will Jefferson at 208 cm lives above many of them, but he was a batter and did not play internationals.
Height Comparison Snapshot
To visualize what these numbers mean at the crease, consider that a regulation cricket stump is 71.1 cm tall (28 inches) without the bail. When a 203–216 cm bowler releases the ball from roughly 2.2–2.4 meters off the ground (accounting for jump and arm extension), the delivery arrives on a path that intersects the top half of the bat’s face far more frequently than a release from 2.0 meters or less. That’s why “hard length” is a weapon for tall bowlers even on docile pitches—the path to the splice is shorter and steeper.
A Practical Guide to Coaching and Facing Tall Bowlers
Coaching tall fast bowlers
- Rhythm over run‑up length: Tall teenagers often try to sprint. The fix is rhythm—upright posture, hips closing late, and a consistent stride pattern so the front foot lands braced.
- Braced front leg, relaxed upper body: The height advantage amplifies when the front leg is firm at impact; the chest stays tall, the release point rises. Over‑tension kills wrist alignment; relaxed forearms keep the seam upright.
- Crosswind cue: Use crosswinds to train drift and late shape. A tall bowler with even a whisper of drift becomes a nightmare on a hard length.
- Loads and injury: Long levers need careful loading progressions. Bruce Reid’s career is a cautionary tale—repeatable mechanics and workload control are non‑negotiable.
Batting approach against height and bounce
- Early pick‑up cues: Track the bowler’s wrist and shoulder tilt; if the shoulder stays tall at release, your default stance must be fractionally more open.
- Back‑and‑across option: Against a hard length from a tall bowler, the classic back‑and‑across triggers your weight into a safer zone, letting you play under your eyes.
- Full commitment to the drive: When they overpitch, your first step must be long and decisive. Half‑commits get you jammed at the crease.
Spin from above the eyeline
Play the drop, not the pitch: Tall spinners thrive on top‑spin; the drop is sooner than your eyes think. Commit late and keep the bat under the ball; the real mistake is playing too early because the ball is still dropping when your bat is already through.
Tallest by Team in Franchise Conversations
Tallest MI/CSK/RCB player
- Through various seasons, the tallest players in these squads have consistently been overseas quicks in the 196–204 cm band (e.g., Jason Behrendorff at MI, Kyle Jamieson at RCB, and tall overseas recruits at CSK from time to time). The exact name changes per auction, but the pattern holds: height travels well in T20, particularly in powerplay and at the death.
Tallest player in PSL seasons
- Mohammad Irfan eclipses the list comfortably whenever contracted. Even when not in the XI, his presence has set the upper bound for league height.
Tallest player in BBL seasons
- Billy Stanlake is the baseline reference; when fit, no one in the league clears him.
Women’s League Snapshot
Tallest WPL presence trends around the 180 cm mark with tall English and Australian seamers among the imports. Height in the women’s league scene is increasingly impactful with synthetic training for bounce and wobble seam now common in academies.
FAQ: Quick, Direct Answers
Who is the tallest cricketer in the world?
Mohammad Irfan (Pakistan), 216 cm (7 ft 1 in).
Who is the tallest cricketer right now among active internationals?
Marco Jansen (South Africa), 206 cm (6 ft 9 in).
Is Mohammad Irfan the tallest cricketer ever?
Yes, among cricketers who have played international cricket, he is the tallest on record.
Who is the tallest Indian cricketer?
Abey Kuruvilla and Pankaj Singh, both around 198 cm (6 ft 6 in), are often cited as India’s tallest internationals. Ishant Sharma at 193 cm (6 ft 4 in) is the tallest long‑tenured Test seamer in recent memory.
Who is taller: Mohammad Irfan or Joel Garner?
Mohammad Irfan at 216 cm (7 ft 1 in) is taller than Joel Garner at 203 cm (6 ft 8 in).
What is Mohammad Irfan’s height in cm and feet?
216 cm (7 ft 1 in).
Who is the tallest batsman in cricket?
Among professional cricketers, Will Jefferson at 208 cm (6 ft 10 in) is the tallest top‑order specialist on record. At international level, Peter Fulton at 198 cm (6 ft 6 in) and Tom Moody at 200 cm (6 ft 7 in) are among the tallest to bat in the top order.
Who is the tallest spin bowler?
Sulieman Benn at 201 cm (6 ft 7 in) is the tallest widely cited international spinner; Rahkeem Cornwall at 198 cm (6 ft 6 in) is close behind.
Who is the tallest wicketkeeper?
Tall keeping is uncommon; among taller international keepers you’ll find Heinrich Klaasen (~188 cm), Adam Gilchrist (~185 cm), and Shai Hope (~183 cm).
Does height matter in fast bowling?
Yes. Height increases release point, steepens bounce, and shrinks a batter’s drive zone. But it’s only decisive when paired with seam control, repeatable mechanics, and fitness.
World ka sabse lamba cricketer kaun hai?
Mohammad Irfan — 216 cm (7 ft 1 in).
IPL me sabse lamba player kaun hai?
Historically, Billy Stanlake at 204 cm (6 ft 8 in) and Kyle Jamieson at 203 cm (6 ft 8 in) have been the tallest.
Sabse lamba cricketer kitne foot ka?
7 ft 1 in (216 cm) — Mohammad Irfan.
Height, Myths, and the Edges That Decide Matches
Height is not a cheat code. It’s a palette. Without control, it paints chaos. With it, it draws tight corridors where batters suffocate. If you’re scouting a tall teenager, don’t be seduced by the tape measure alone; be seduced by the wrist. A tall wrist that stays behind the seam at release is a career waiting to happen. Watch the head position at jump, the front‑leg brace, the shoulder staying tall instead of collapsing across. The ball will do the rest.
For batters, learn to practice against the shape and drop that tall bowlers produce. Use sidearm feeds from a higher angle, vary the drop, and exaggerate back‑foot drills to train eyes to read from the hand, not the pitch.
For spinners, remember that height is a multiplier for overspin. If you’re tall, your target is the splice, not the pad. The harder you spin forward, the more the ball drops out of the sky into a length that batters misread.
Height Chart: From Stumps to Skyline (text snapshot)
- Regulation stump: 71.1 cm (28 in).
- Bat full length: roughly 96.5 cm (38 in) including handle (varies).
- Release heights:
- 185 cm bowler: about 2.0–2.1 m at release.
- 203–206 cm bowler: about 2.2–2.3 m.
- 216 cm bowler: around 2.3–2.4 m.
These aren’t absolutes—they flex with jump and extension—but they explain why the same nominal length behaves differently for tall and average‑height bowlers. The steeper plane also creates late “apparent swing,” where the ball seems to curve more simply because its path crosses the batter’s eyeline at a more acute angle.
Sourcing and Data Caveats
- ESPNcricinfo remains the most reliable aggregator for player bios, including height, across men’s and women’s cricket. Where a precise number isn’t listed (more common in women’s profiles), height approximations are drawn from national board information or widely reported figures in team media guides.
- Height can be recorded at different stages of a player’s career; younger cricketers may grow, published bios don’t always update, and cross‑site differences of 1–2 cm appear often. This piece rounds to the most authoritative listing available.
Shortlist Tables You Can Reference Quickly
Tallest internationals: one‑glance list
- Mohammad Irfan — 216 cm (7 ft 1 in), Pakistan, left‑arm fast.
- Marco Jansen — 206 cm (6 ft 9 in), South Africa, left‑arm fast.
- Billy Stanlake — 204 cm (6 ft 8 in), Australia, right‑arm fast.
- Kyle Jamieson — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), New Zealand, right‑arm fast.
- Boyd Rankin — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), Ireland/England, right‑arm fast.
- Bruce Reid — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), Australia, left‑arm fast‑medium.
- Peter George — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), Australia, right‑arm fast‑medium.
- Joel Garner — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), West Indies, right‑arm fast.
- Blessing Muzarabani — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in), Zimbabwe, right‑arm fast.
- Jason Holder — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in), West Indies, right‑arm fast‑medium all‑rounder.
Tallest women’s internationals (selected, where listed)
- Lauren Bell — ~183 cm (6 ft), England, right‑arm fast‑medium.
- Kate Cross — ~183 cm (6 ft), England, right‑arm fast‑medium.
- Jhulan Goswami — ~180 cm (5 ft 11 in), India, right‑arm fast‑medium.
- Sophie Ecclestone — ~180 cm (5 ft 11 in), England, left‑arm spin.
- Darcie Brown — ~180 cm (5 ft 11 in), Australia, right‑arm fast‑medium.
Storylines You Can Use on Air or in Copy
- The new‑ball choke: A tall left‑arm quick bowling over from wide of the crease forces every right‑hander to decide early about off stump. That decision is wrong as often as it’s right, and edges grow from hesitation. It’s geometry, not mystery.
- The death‑over paradox: Tall bowlers’ yorkers, when even slightly miss‑pitched, become knee‑high slots. But because their hard length is still hard to hit, they can toggle length without telegraphing. Watch Holder: back of the hand, same run‑up, seam position changes late.
- Tall spinners in the middle overs: They don’t need to rag it. They need to own the drop. Corners of the bat thud, angles vanish, and singles die at short midwicket.
Why This Matters for Fans and Analysts
Height trivia is fun, but it’s not trivial. It explains selection, roles, and why a batter who looks untroubled one week suddenly looks mortal the next. You can measure the difference on a pitch map, but the real proof is visceral. Even on a two‑paced surface, a tall seamer’s “good” length doesn’t sit up; it kicks and hunts the splice. A tall spinner’s top‑spin, bowled with a firm wrist behind the seam, makes even docile tracks feel spicy.
And because so many searchable pages miss women’s cricket, mislabel formats, mash current with all‑time without telling you, or simply don’t show their sources, you end up with a fog of half‑truths. Here, the aim is clarity you can trust: Irfan sits on the throne; Jansen leads the active pack; Jamieson may be the most consistent modern Test‑length enforcer from height; Stanlake is the tallest IPL‑standard quick of recent memory; Holder and Topley headline the 201 cm bracket with craft; and in women’s cricket, England’s new‑ball group and India’s Goswami stand tall both on paper and in impact.
Final Takeaway Lines You’ll Find Useful
- Mohammad Irfan — 216 cm (7 ft 1 in): tallest international cricketer of all time.
- Marco Jansen — 206 cm (6 ft 9 in): tallest currently active international quick, a left‑arm problem for right‑handers worldwide.
- Kyle Jamieson — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in): the modern hard‑length blueprint in Tests.
- Billy Stanlake — 204 cm (6 ft 8 in): tallest regular in top T20 leagues when fit.
- Joel Garner — 203 cm (6 ft 8 in): the benchmark ODI yorker from height.
- Sulieman Benn — 201 cm (6 ft 7 in): tallest frontline international spinner.
- Will Jefferson — 208 cm (6 ft 10 in): tallest professional top‑order batter on record.
- India’s peak‑height internationals: Abey Kuruvilla and Pankaj Singh at around 198 cm (6 ft 6 in).
- Women’s top cluster: Lauren Bell and Kate Cross (~183 cm), Jhulan Goswami and Sophie Ecclestone (~180 cm) among the tallest internationals with verified or widely reported figures.
If all you wanted was a quick number to win a pub argument, you have it: 216 cm, Mohammad Irfan. If you stayed for the story, there’s your map: height reshapes angles, bounce, and the very notion of a good length. It doesn’t bowl the ball for you. But when harnessed, it turns a good bowler into a spell everyone remembers and a good list into something truer than trivia.
