Tallest cricketer in the world: definitive guide & list

Updated: November 9

The tallest cricketer in the world, as officially recorded across major player databases, is Mohammad Irfan of Pakistan at 216 cm (7 ft 1 in). He is widely recognized as the tallest international cricketer in history, a measurement corroborated by player profiles such as ESPNcricinfo and supported by team bios and press interviews. Heights vary slightly across publications, so this guide cites the most authoritative sources and flags discrepancies.

A clear answer is only the start. Height in cricket is story and science: bounce, release point, leverage at the crease, and a psychological presence that can shrink a batter’s off stump to a pencil line. From Joel Garner’s thunderbolt length to Kyle Jamieson’s tramline discipline and Marco Jansen’s left‑arm angle of doom, the tallest international cricketers do not just look imposing — they bend matches in ways you can measure.

Top 25 tallest international cricketers of all time

Note on data: Heights differ occasionally between media guides and player pages. Where sources conflict, this list prioritizes ESPNcricinfo, official board/team bios, and player interviews. Heights are provided in both centimeters and feet/inches for clarity.

Player	Height (cm / ft‑in)	Country	Primary role	Status	International formats
Mohammad Irfan	216 / 7’1′	Pakistan	Left‑arm fast	Former	ODI, T20I
Marco Jansen	206 / 6’9′	South Africa	Left‑arm fast‑bowling allrounder	Active	Test, ODI, T20I
Billy Stanlake	204 / 6’8′	Australia	Right‑arm fast	Active (domestic/limited intl activity)	ODI, T20I
Joel Garner	203 / 6’8′	West Indies	Right‑arm fast	Retired	Test, ODI
Bruce Reid	203 / 6’8′	Australia	Left‑arm fast‑medium	Retired	Test, ODI
Kyle Jamieson	203 / 6’8′	New Zealand	Right‑arm fast‑medium	Active	Test, ODI, T20I
Boyd Rankin	203 / 6’8′	Ireland (also England)	Right‑arm fast‑medium	Retired	Test, ODI, T20I
Peter George	203 / 6’8′	Australia	Right‑arm fast‑medium	Retired	Test
Jason Holder	201 / 6’7′	West Indies	Right‑arm fast‑medium allrounder	Active	Test, ODI, T20I
Steven Finn	201 / 6’7′	England	Right‑arm fast	Retired	Test, ODI, T20I
Sulieman Benn	201 / 6’7′	West Indies	Left‑arm orthodox spin	Retired	Test, ODI, T20I
Chris Tremlett	201 / 6’7′	England	Right‑arm fast‑medium	Retired	Test, ODI, T20I
Curtly Ambrose	201 / 6’7′	West Indies	Right‑arm fast	Retired	Test, ODI
Cameron Cuffy	201 / 6’7′	West Indies	Right‑arm fast‑medium	Retired	ODI
Reece Topley	201 / 6’7′	England	Left‑arm fast‑medium	Active	ODI, T20I
Jacob Oram	198 / 6’6′	New Zealand	Right‑arm fast‑medium allrounder	Retired	Test, ODI, T20I
Rahkeem Cornwall	198 / 6’6′	West Indies	Right‑arm off‑spin allrounder	Active (intermittent intl)	Test
Shaheen Shah Afridi	198 / 6’6′	Pakistan	Left‑arm fast	Active	Test, ODI, T20I
Cameron Green	198 / 6’6′	Australia	Right‑arm fast‑medium allrounder	Active	Test, ODI, T20I
Nuwan Zoysa	198 / 6’6′	Sri Lanka	Left‑arm fast‑medium	Retired	Test, ODI
Mitchell Starc	197 / 6’6′	Australia	Left‑arm fast	Active	Test, ODI, T20I
Morne Morkel	196 / 6’5′	South Africa	Right‑arm fast	Retired	Test, ODI, T20I
Kieron Pollard	196 / 6’5′	West Indies	Medium/Power‑hitter	Retired (intl), active T20	ODI, T20I
Tom Moody	196 / 6’5′	Australia	Medium/Batting allrounder	Retired	Test, ODI
Tony Greig	196 / 6’5′	England	Medium/Off‑break allrounder	Retired	Test, ODI

Close contenders and notable tall internationals

• Stuart Broad — 196 cm (6’5′), England, fast‑medium, retired. New‑ball lift with round‑the‑wicket angles to left‑handers defined an era.
• Abey Kuruvilla — 196 cm (6’5′), India, fast‑medium, retired. Brief international career; among India’s tallest.
• Andy Caddick — approximately 196 cm (6’5′), England, fast‑medium, retired.
• Jason Gillespie — 195 cm (6’5′), Australia, fast, retired.
• Blessing Muzarabani — 198 cm (6’6′), Zimbabwe, fast, active. A towering presence with late movement.
• Ishant Sharma — listed between 193 and 195 cm (6’4’–6’5′) depending on source, India, fast‑medium, veteran quick.

Why the numbers matter

Height is not a curiosity in cricket; it affects physics and tactics. A bowler around 200 cm with a high release and snap can generate steeper bounce from a fuller length. That changes the batter’s decision tree: a ball that starts on a driving length can climb at the splice, bringing bat‑pad, gully, and bodyline fields into play. Joel Garner, at “just” 203 cm, built an ODI legacy on a back‑of‑a‑length yorker — a contradiction that makes sense only when you’ve faced his trajectory. Kyle Jamieson wins Test battles with chest‑high lift from a length that would be friendly from an average height. Marco Jansen overlays that bounce with left‑arm angle, dragging batters across the crease and into the cordon. The tallest cricketers do not just bowl faster or hit harder; they pull the game’s geometry their way.

Tallest cricketer in the world: who leads each category

• All‑time tallest international: Mohammad Irfan, 216 cm (7’1′), Pakistan.
• Tallest Test cricketer: Marco Jansen, 206 cm (6’9′), South Africa.
• Tallest ODI/T20I cricketer: Mohammad Irfan, 216 cm (7’1′).
• Tallest active quicks near the top: Marco Jansen (206 cm), Kyle Jamieson (203 cm), Jason Holder (201 cm), Reece Topley (201 cm), Shaheen Afridi (198 cm), Mitchell Starc (197 cm).
• Tallest specialist spinner: Sulieman Benn, 201 cm (6’7′).
• Tallest spin‑bowling allrounder in modern internationals: Rahkeem Cornwall, 198 cm (6’6′).

Tallest currently active international cricketers

These are towering players you can expect to see in international squads now. Heights are from player profiles and recent media guides; where ranges exist, the more conservative listed figure is used.

Marco Jansen (South Africa) — 206 cm (6’9′), left‑arm fast‑bowling allrounder

What stands out: Length carries menace even at 135–140 kph. The left‑arm angle makes his natural channel fourth‑stump from over the wicket to right‑handers, with slip three and gully in business all day. He is also a legitimate lower‑order hitter; long levers translate into easy six‑hitting.

Kyle Jamieson (New Zealand) — 203 cm (6’8′), right‑arm fast‑medium

What stands out: Classical seam bowling values — upright seam, top‑of‑off discipline — supercharged by height. Jamieson’s best spells feel ceaseless: he just keeps asking the same hard question from a length a normal bowler can’t reach. His bounce at Eden Park or the Basin Reserve isn’t theatrical; it’s relentless.

Jason Holder (West Indies) — 201 cm (6’7′), right‑arm fast‑medium allrounder

What stands out: Holder’s hallmark is glide — that smooth, high‑release action that lives around a tight Test line. He extracts bounce on docile pitches, batting with poise at six or seven. Leadership pedigree and slip catching complete the package.

Reece Topley (England) — 201 cm (6’7′), left‑arm fast‑medium

What stands out: Left‑arm angle plus height is a white‑ball premium. Powerplay inswing to right‑handers, hard lengths into the hip later on, and cutters off a tall wrist. Injury interruptions have been the only brake.

Shaheen Shah Afridi (Pakistan) — 198 cm (6’6′), left‑arm fast

What stands out: That inswinger at full tilt — tailing late into the base of off stump — is suited perfectly to his height. He can hit a fuller length without risk because the ball still climbs. Add the round‑the‑wicket slant to left‑handers, and you have a modern new‑ball terror.

Cameron Green (Australia) — 198 cm (6’6′), right‑arm fast‑medium allrounder

What stands out: Hard lengths, repeatable action, and top‑order batting. With the bat, his reach lets him cover drive on the up; with the ball, he lives at knee‑knocking bounce.

Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe) — 198 cm (6’6′), right‑arm fast

What stands out: Lithe frame, whippy action, surprising late movement. He has the raw materials to trouble top orders even on flat decks.

Mitchell Starc (Australia) — 197 cm (6’6′), left‑arm fast

What stands out: Pace, swing, and ruthless yorkers. His height accentuates the curve into the base of leg stump to right‑handers and the slice across left‑handers. There are few more intimidating first overs in cricket.

Rahkeem Cornwall (West Indies) — 198 cm (6’6′), right‑arm off‑spin allrounder

What stands out: Unusual for a spinner this tall, he bowls a heavy ball that kicks at bat‑pad. In the slips, his reach is a net; he swallows chances others only parry.

Kyle Abbott, Prasidh Krishna, Blair Tickner, and Stuart Broad (recently retired) sit just a tier below this group; in T20 leagues, add Paul Walter and other standouts around 195–196 cm.

Tallest cricketer in the world — by country

This section filters the giants by national side and flags domestic‑only outliers.

India

• Abey Kuruvilla — 196 cm (6’5′), right‑arm fast‑medium, retired. Among the tallest to represent India.
• Ishant Sharma — typically listed 193–195 cm (6’4’–6’5′), fast‑medium. India’s long‑service workhorse, built on heavy length and a wrist that holds the seam proud.

Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Shardul Thakur, and others trail by a margin in height; for India, elite tallness is rarer than in the Caribbean or Australia.

Pakistan

• Mohammad Irfan — 216 cm (7’1′), left‑arm fast, former. The definitive answer to “who is the tallest cricketer.”
• Shaheen Shah Afridi — 198 cm (6’6′), left‑arm fast, active. Carry and curve define his threat.

Mohammad Hasnain and Ihsanullah are tallish quicks in the pool, though below the Irfan/Shaheen bracket.

Australia

• Billy Stanlake — 204 cm (6’8′), right‑arm fast, active domestically.
• Bruce Reid — 203 cm (6’8′), left‑arm fast‑medium, retired. Beautiful outswing when fit; cruel injury run.
• Peter George — 203 cm (6’8′), right‑arm fast‑medium, retired.
• Mitchell Starc — 197 cm (6’6′), left‑arm fast, active.
• Tom Moody — 196 cm (6’5′), batting allrounder, retired.
• Jason Gillespie — 195 cm (6’5′), fast, retired.

West Indies

• Joel Garner — 203 cm (6’8′), right‑arm fast, retired. Big Bird. Those ODI yorkers were depth charges.
• Sulieman Benn — 201 cm (6’7′), left‑arm spin, retired.
• Jason Holder — 201 cm (6’7′), allrounder, active.
• Curtly Ambrose — 201 cm (6’7′), fast, retired. Short of a length; long on menace.
• Cameron Cuffy — 201 cm (6’7′), fast‑medium, retired.
• Rahkeem Cornwall — 198 cm (6’6′), spin allrounder, active intermittently.
• Kieron Pollard — 196 cm (6’5′), batting allrounder, retired internationally.

New Zealand

• Kyle Jamieson — 203 cm (6’8′), fast‑medium, active.
• Jacob Oram — 198 cm (6’6′), allrounder, retired.

Blair Tickner — around 193 cm (6’4′), fast‑medium, active.

England

• Steven Finn — 201 cm (6’7′), fast, retired.
• Chris Tremlett — 201 cm (6’7′), fast‑medium, retired.
• Reece Topley — 201 cm (6’7′), left‑arm fast‑medium, active.
• Stuart Broad — 196 cm (6’5′), fast‑medium, retired.
• Tony Greig — 196 cm (6’5′), allrounder, retired.

Domestic note: Will Jefferson — 208 cm (6’10’), towering county batter, never capped internationally.

Paul Walter — 196 cm (6’5′), tall T20 allrounder in the domestic circuit.

South Africa

• Marco Jansen — 206 cm (6’9′), left‑arm fast‑bowling allrounder, active.
• Morne Morkel — 196 cm (6’5′), fast, retired.

Kyle Abbott — tall but a shade under the tallest bracket.

Sri Lanka

• Nuwan Zoysa — 198 cm (6’6′), left‑arm fast‑medium, retired.

Dushmantha Chameera and Kasun Rajitha sit lower on the height scale but generate lively bounce.

Bangladesh

• Shoriful Islam — around 190–191 cm (6’3′), left‑arm fast‑medium, active.
• Ebadot Hossain — around 190–191 cm (6’3′), fast‑medium. Bangladesh seldom fields 195‑plus cm bowlers at international level.

Afghanistan

• Naveen‑ul‑Haq — tallish seamer in the mid‑180s cm bracket, white‑ball specialist.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran, and others are not especially tall by global pace standards; Afghanistan’s attack skews towards skiddy pace and mystery spin rather than extreme height.

Ireland/Zimbabwe and Associates

• Boyd Rankin (Ireland) — 203 cm (6’8′), fast‑medium, retired.
• Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe) — 198 cm (6’6′), fast, active.

Fred Klaassen (Netherlands) — tall left‑armer in the low‑190s cm, white‑ball swing merchant.

Tallest by league and format

IPL

• Tallest to appear in the league: Mohammad Irfan, 216 cm (7’1′).
• Tallest currently active in the league pool: Marco Jansen, 206 cm (6’9′), left‑arm quick for Sunrisers Hyderabad in recent seasons. Kyle Jamieson (203 cm) and Jason Holder (201 cm) have also featured prominently.

PSL

• Tallest to feature: Mohammad Irfan, 216 cm, multiple stints. Among current tall quicks, Shaheen Afridi (198 cm) leads the new generation.

BBL

• Tallest regular: Billy Stanlake, 204 cm, Adelaide Strikers alum. Peter George (203 cm) and several 195‑plus seamers have also rolled through the league.

CPL

• Jason Holder and Sulieman Benn at 201 cm have been the tallest regulars, with Rahkeem Cornwall (198 cm) adding a unique tall‑spinner profile.

The Hundred

• Reece Topley (201 cm) is the most prominent tall participant. Several domestic allrounders around 195–196 cm, like Paul Walter, loom tall in the format.

By international format

• Tests: Marco Jansen at 206 cm is the tallest Test cricketer on record.
• ODIs: Mohammad Irfan at 216 cm.
• T20Is: Mohammad Irfan at 216 cm.

Tallest fast bowlers, tallest spinners, tallest batsmen, and wicketkeepers

Tallest fast bowlers (headline names)

• Mohammad Irfan — 216 cm, left‑arm fast, Pakistan.
• Marco Jansen — 206 cm, left‑arm fast, South Africa.
• Billy Stanlake — 204 cm, right‑arm fast, Australia.
• Kyle Jamieson — 203 cm, right‑arm fast‑medium, New Zealand.
• Joel Garner — 203 cm, right‑arm fast, West Indies.
• Bruce Reid — 203 cm, left‑arm fast‑medium, Australia.
• Jason Holder — 201 cm, fast‑medium allrounder, West Indies.
• Reece Topley — 201 cm, left‑arm fast‑medium, England.
• Mitchell Starc — 197 cm, left‑arm fast, Australia.
• Shaheen Shah Afridi — 198 cm, left‑arm fast, Pakistan.

Tallest specialist spinners

• Sulieman Benn — 201 cm (6’7′), left‑arm orthodox, West Indies. A rare skyscraper spinner; bounce from anywhere, bodyline to short leg at will.
• Rahkeem Cornwall — 198 cm (6’6′), off‑spin allrounder, West Indies. A heavy ball with surprise lift and a slip‑catching radius that changes fields.
• Ravichandran Ashwin — around 188 cm (6’2′). Not extreme, but tall for a spinner and makes it count with topspin and dip.

Other tall spinners (less frequent at the very top): a handful around 185–190 cm have played internationally, but 195‑plus is unusual in this discipline.

Tallest batsmen in international cricket

True outliers are rarer, but several tall batters and batting allrounders have shaped eras:

• Jacob Oram — 198 cm (6’6′), New Zealand. A towering presence at six; straight‑driving power and back‑of‑a‑length hitting range.
• Cameron Green — 198 cm (6’6′), Australia. High back‑lift and long reach; a driver of hard lengths off the front foot.
• Kieron Pollard — 196 cm (6’5′), West Indies. White‑ball destructor, long levers and a golf‑swing arc.
• Tom Moody — 196 cm (6’5′), Australia. An elegant presence at the crease with an allrounder’s glue.
• Tony Greig — 196 cm (6’5′), England. Old‑school utility: could bat long, bowl medium or off‑breaks, and tower in the slips.

Domestic note: Will Jefferson (England) at 208 cm (6’10’) is arguably the tallest specialist batter to play top‑level domestic cricket; he never won a cap but is an important height reference.

Tallest wicketkeepers (rare air)

Wicketkeeping skews shorter for agility, but a few tall keepers stand out:

• Clyde Walcott — about 188 cm (6’2′), West Indies. Kept in his early Test career; one of the famous Three Ws.
• Adam Gilchrist — 185 cm (6’1′), Australia. Not freakishly tall, yet notably above the typical keeper height and an all‑timer.
• Shai Hope — around 183 cm (6’0′), West Indies, has kept regularly in ODIs.
• KL Rahul — around 183 cm (6’0′), India, part‑time international keeper in white‑ball cricket.

Truly towering wicketkeepers (195‑plus cm) are essentially nonexistent at international level. Height works against the deep crouch and explosive lateral movement that pure glovework demands.

Does height matter in cricket?

It matters — and it must be managed. Height is leverage. From a fast bowler’s perspective, a taller release point increases the downward angle of the ball, so you can pitch the ball fractionally fuller and still threaten the splice. Ball‑tracking studies and bowling‑lab measurements show that a release height advantage of 10–15 cm can translate into several centimeters of additional bounce at the batter’s end for the same pitch length and speed. That turns a meet‑it‑under‑the‑eyes punch into a hop‑and‑hope fend.

But there’s trade‑off. Very tall quicks often fight timing at the crease: long levers mean more moving parts, and the kinetic chain (run‑up → gather → brace → hip/shoulder separation → release) must stay synced. Balance at take‑off, shin‑angles on landing, and hip‑shoulder alignment decide whether the ball kisses the seam or smears. Chris Tremlett learned to be compact through the crease; Steven Finn shortened his run and retooled rhythm; Bruce Reid’s rhythm was poetry when his back allowed it. The tallest don’t automatically bowl fastest; they can bowl “heavier,” a term batters use for deliveries that feel as if they carry weight off the pitch.

For spinners, height carries a different dividend: topspin from a taller release can kick at the splice or shoulder, forcing batters to play with their hands higher and elbows less free. Sulieman Benn and Rahkeem Cornwall use that bounce to create bat‑pad chances even on non‑turners. Yet the very tall still need precise control over stride length and release window; otherwise, their stock ball drifts too full and becomes a drive‑fest.

Batters benefit from reach — cover long strides to smother spin or extend the hitting arc over extra cover — but must fight a higher center of gravity that complicates balance in defense. The best tall batters, like Greig and Green, have learned to bend early in their setup and keep head over the ball, not behind it.

Tallest vs shortest: a quick contrast

On the other end is the shortest international cricketer bracketed by two famous heights: Tich Cornford, the England wicketkeeper, stood near 152 cm (5’0′), while Kruger van Wyk, the New Zealand keeper‑batter, was around 160 cm (5’3′). They thrived on compact movement and a low base — in other words, the mirror image of the tall player’s strengths. Cricket’s beauty is that both body types can rule a session: Ambrose with a ribcage barrage, Cornford with a low‑flying, tireless glove.

How height shapes tactics and coaching

• Release height and bounce: A 200‑plus cm bowler can pitch 20–30 cm fuller for the same bounce outcome as a 180 cm bowler. In practice, that means fuller attacking lengths become safer options.
• Optimal fields: Tall quicks make square‑of‑the‑wicket catchers lethal. With bounce drawing aerial glances, gully is gold. For a left‑arm tall quick to right‑handers, a second slip and a floating fourth slip often outperform an orthodox third.
• Short ball value: Not every tall bowler should live short. Garner and Ambrose built empires on “hip‑high” hard lengths that neither carried to the keeper nor sat up to cut; they jammed you.
• Injury management: Taller frames see higher ground‑reaction forces at the front foot. Coaching the brace leg to be firm without hyper‑extension, and moderating workloads, extends careers. Reid’s story is a lesson; Holder’s is a template for sustainable loads.
• Spinner’s advantage: A tall spinner can attack stumps and bat‑pad simultaneously with overspin. The stock ball throws a different parabola — drift + dip + bounce rather than just drift + dip.

Country spotlights: examples from matches

West Indies

Curtly Ambrose at Perth was a study in lift. His 7‑for spells often came from a relentless zone: just short of a length, pound the top of off, then sneak the change‑up fuller. His height let him live there and still threaten edges and gloves.

Pakistan

Mohammad Irfan’s ODI spells on subcontinental tracks often looked unfair — a back‑of‑a‑length ball that others would pull might rear at head height, forcing awkward, sliced flyers to point.

New Zealand

Kyle Jamieson’s debut home season reprogrammed how batters leave. Anything on the fourth‑stump channel grew fangs late. Batters who habitually trusted bounce found the badge of the helmet getting busy.

South Africa

Marco Jansen’s left‑arm lines into the slope at venues like Newlands mean you can post two slips and a gully and bet on deviation. Add a leg gully when the angle traps the back‑foot tuck.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the tallest cricketer ever?

Mohammad Irfan (Pakistan), 216 cm (7 ft 1 in), is the tallest international cricketer on record.

Who is the tallest active cricketer right now?

Marco Jansen (South Africa), 206 cm (6 ft 9 in), is the tallest active international. Among active bowlers above 2 meters, add Kyle Jamieson (203 cm).

How tall is Mohammad Irfan in feet and in centimeters?

216 centimeters; 7 feet 1 inch.

Who is the tallest player in the IPL this season?

Mohammad Irfan remains the tallest to have played the IPL at 216 cm. Among currently active IPL players, Marco Jansen at 206 cm is the tallest regular when contracted.

Who is the tallest Indian cricketer?

Abey Kuruvilla at 196 cm (6 ft 5 in) is among the tallest Indians to play international cricket. Among contemporary Indian seamers, Ishant Sharma is listed around 193–195 cm.

Are there any tall spinners?

Yes. Sulieman Benn (201 cm) and Rahkeem Cornwall (198 cm) are notable tall spinners. Their advantage is bounce from a higher release, creating bat‑pad chances.

Does height make you a faster bowler?

Not directly. Height increases release height and bounce; speed depends on mechanics, strength, and timing through the crease. Many tall bowlers bowl “heavy” rather than purely fast; the ball hits the splice even at moderate speeds.

Who is the shortest international cricketer?

Historical records point to Tich Cornford (England) at roughly 152 cm (5 ft 0 in). Modern examples include Kruger van Wyk around 160 cm (5 ft 3 in).

Tallest cricket player — methodology and sources

How this list was built

• Definitions: “International” means a player who has represented a national side in Tests, ODIs, or T20Is. Heights are as listed by authoritative player databases and official team bios.
• Source hierarchy: ESPNcricinfo player profiles, national board media guides (e.g., Cricket Australia, ECB, PCB, CSA), reputable publications such as Wisden and leading cricket yearbooks, plus verified interviews.
• Discrepancy handling: When multiple numbers exist (e.g., Boyd Rankin listed variously as 203–204 cm; Ishant Sharma 193–195 cm), the article selects the most frequently cited official figure and annotates the range in commentary.
• Units: Heights are provided in centimeters and feet/inches for global readability.
• Segmentation: The article separates all‑time records from currently active internationals and notes domestic‑only outliers (e.g., Will Jefferson).

Why so many West Indian and Australian names?

Cricketing cultures that historically emphasize pace bowling and outdoor development pathways tend to unearth and nurture tall fast bowlers. The Caribbean’s fast‑bowling dynasty drew from a pool of athletic tall men who took to hard lengths and aggressive fields. Australia’s coaching structures, pitches with bounce, and emphasis on vertical seam bowling have been a natural fit for tall quicks. New Zealand’s recent surge with Jamieson reflects deliberate investment in seam‑friendly skillsets that leverage height without sacrificing accuracy.

Height by league — tactical micro‑notes

IPL

Tall left‑armers (Jansen, Starc) are field‑setting cheat codes in the powerplay: slip + short midwicket + leg gully become viable because of bounce and inswing shape. A fuller length is a safe attacking option, increasing lbw and bowled modes even with two men outside the circle.

PSL

Pace‑friendly in certain venues allows tall quicks to hammer fourth‑stump and get throat‑length bounce at mid‑130s kph. Irfan’s best overs in the PSL were suffocating rather oxygen.

BBL

Tall seamers thrive at the MCG and Optus with long square boundaries; the hard length into the hip is a pull‑trap when deep square and a catching midwicket are stationed early.

CPL

Holder’s utility as a middle‑overs strangler owes to tall‑seamer back‑of‑a‑length cutters that climb; batters trying to roll the wrists can’t always keep the ball down on slow, tacky surfaces.

The Hundred

Topley’s left‑arm angle and high release complicate the shortened tactical rhythms; five‑ball sets allow him to camp at a channel and squeeze.

Fielding and catching with height

Tall does not automatically mean ungainly. Many of these players are slip catchers by design. Holder at second slip, Pollard at long‑off, Cornwall at first slip — reach reduces reaction time required and increases margin for error. On the boundary, a 196‑cm frame with a vertical leap turns sixes into parries, and parries into relay catches. Pollard’s circus catches are not stunts; they’re the logical extreme of leverage and wingspan.

Batting technique for the very tall

• Base and bend: Keep the base wide and bend early to get the head over the ball. Tony Greig looked old‑school because he solved this; cambered spine, soft knees, late hands.
• Pick‑up and bat path: Tall batters benefit from a slightly lower back‑lift against the moving ball to shorten the downswing and improve control. When set, they can open the levers and expand the arc.
• Against spin: Long stride to smother length, or rock deep and use the levers to hit with the spin. Green has borrowed from Oram’s playbook: pick balls off length with punch rather than sweep early, then sweep later when the bowler drifts too full.

Bowling technique realities for the very tall

• Run‑up rhythm: Shortening the run by a step or two can help tall bowlers keep hips and shoulders aligned at the crease. Finn’s mid‑career reset reduced no‑balls and improved control.
• Brace leg and landing: Land with a flexed, braced front leg; hyper‑extension is a red flag. Conditioning the posterior chain and core is not optional.
• Release window: The ball must leave at the same point consistently. Tall frames can vary release timing more, so video feedback and seam‑axis drills are essential.
• Seaming the ball: Tall bowlers should aim for upright seam, yes — but many unlock a second gear when they learn to wobble seam from a high release, creating late deviation that looks like pitch movement rather than air.

The psychology of height

Aesthetics count. Batters feel the ceiling lower around a tall quick. The sight of a 2‑meter bowler striding in can nudge a batter into back‑foot defense on instinct, even before data justifies it. On dead pitches, that bias can be gold dust for the bowler; a fuller ball then wins lbw. Conversely, tall batters need to prove to critics that they can get low and play late. Once they do, the upside is visible to the scoreboard from far away.

Sourcing notes for key names (selected)

• Mohammad Irfan height — 216 cm (7’1′): ESPNcricinfo player profile; corroborated by PCB publications and press interviews.
• Marco Jansen — 206 cm (6’9′): ESPNcricinfo; CSA releases.
• Kyle Jamieson — 203 cm (6’8′): ESPNcricinfo; NZC materials.
• Joel Garner — 203 cm (6’8′): ESPNcricinfo; Wisden Almanack profiles.
• Billy Stanlake — 204 cm (6’8′): ESPNcricinfo; Cricket Australia.
• Bruce Reid — 203 cm (6’8′): ESPNcricinfo; historical press.
• Jason Holder — 201 cm (6’7′): ESPNcricinfo; CWI materials.
• Steven Finn — 201 cm (6’7′): ESPNcricinfo; ECB sources.
• Sulieman Benn — 201 cm (6’7′): ESPNcricinfo; CWI.
• Chris Tremlett — 201 cm (6’7′): ESPNcricinfo; ECB season guides.
• Curtly Ambrose — 201 cm (6’7′): ESPNcricinfo; autobiographical material.
• Cameron Cuffy — 201 cm (6’7′): ESPNcricinfo.
• Reece Topley — 201 cm (6’7′): ESPNcricinfo; ECB.
• Jacob Oram — 198 cm (6’6′): ESPNcricinfo; NZC.
• Rahkeem Cornwall — 198 cm (6’6′): ESPNcricinfo; CWI.
• Shaheen Shah Afridi — 198 cm (6’6′): ESPNcricinfo; PCB.
• Cameron Green — 198 cm (6’6′): ESPNcricinfo; Cricket Australia.
• Nuwan Zoysa — 198 cm (6’6′): ESPNcricinfo; SLC.
• Mitchell Starc — 197 cm (6’6′): ESPNcricinfo; Cricket Australia.
• Morne Morkel — 196 cm (6’5′): ESPNcricinfo; CSA.
• Kieron Pollard — 196 cm (6’5′): ESPNcricinfo; CWI.
• Tom Moody — 196 cm (6’5′): ESPNcricinfo; Cricket Australia.
• Tony Greig — 196 cm (6’5′): ESPNcricinfo; historical records.
• Abey Kuruvilla — 196 cm (6’5′): ESPNcricinfo; BCCI materials.
• Stuart Broad — 196 cm (6’5′): ESPNcricinfo; ECB.

Discrepancies worth noting

• Boyd Rankin appears at 203–204 cm depending on the source. The 203 cm figure is most common in official profiles.
• Ishant Sharma is seen at 193 cm in most listings; some sources edge him closer to 195 cm. We reference the lower, more widely published number (6’4′).
• Kieron Pollard is commonly 196 cm; a few profiles list 197 cm. We use 196 cm per major databases.
• Cameron Green is consistently 198 cm, while some broadcasts have rounded him to 199 cm; official profiles list 198 cm.
• Remember that player heights can be rounded and occasionally updated across seasons.

Why many “tallest” lists get messy

Outdated data hangs around. Broadcasters and social posts sometimes recycle older numbers or list feet/inches that don’t convert cleanly to centimeters. Some posts forget to distinguish between international and domestic players (e.g., Will Jefferson), or mix “active” and “all‑time” without labeling. This guide separates those categories and cross‑checks against official profiles to keep the spine of the data straight.

The tallest cricketer in the world — in one sentence you can quote

Mohammad Irfan of Pakistan is the tallest international cricketer ever recorded at 216 cm (7 ft 1 in), with Marco Jansen of South Africa the tallest currently active Test cricketer at 206 cm (6 ft 9 in).

Closing thoughts

Height in cricket is a lever, not a destiny. It can give you bounce that hisses off a length and a reach that plucks sixes back into play. It can also hand you a longer kinetic chain to supervise and a higher center of gravity to tame. The great tall cricketers — Garner, Ambrose, Reid in bursts, Holder at his best, Jamieson when locked on, Jansen on a roll — mastered their geometry. That’s the essence of cricket advantage: what you’re born with is a raw number; what you turn it into is art.

Appendix: quick reference lists

One‑line top 10 tallest cricket players (international, all‑time)

1. Mohammad Irfan — 216 cm (7’1′), Pakistan
2. Marco Jansen — 206 cm (6’9′), South Africa
3. Billy Stanlake — 204 cm (6’8′), Australia
4. Joel Garner — 203 cm (6’8′), West Indies
5. Bruce Reid — 203 cm (6’8′), Australia
6. Kyle Jamieson — 203 cm (6’8′), New Zealand
7. Boyd Rankin — 203 cm (6’8′), Ireland
8. Peter George — 203 cm (6’8′), Australia
9. Jason Holder — 201 cm (6’7′), West Indies
10. Steven Finn/Sulieman Benn/Chris Tremlett/Curtly Ambrose/Cameron Cuffy/Reece Topley — 201 cm (6’7′) cluster

Tall spinners to remember

• Sulieman Benn — 201 cm, left‑arm orthodox
• Rahkeem Cornwall — 198 cm, off‑spin allrounder
• Ravichandran Ashwin — ~188 cm, height leveraged through topspin

Tallest Indian internationals

• Abey Kuruvilla — 196 cm
• Ishant Sharma — 193–195 cm (most commonly 193 cm)

League snapshot

• IPL record: Mohammad Irfan, 216 cm; current standout: Marco Jansen, 206 cm
• PSL tallest: Mohammad Irfan, 216 cm
• BBL tallest: Billy Stanlake, 204 cm
• CPL tallest regulars: Holder/Benn, 201 cm
• The Hundred tallest regular: Reece Topley, 201 cm

Methodology and sources (in brief)

• Primary databases: ESPNcricinfo player profiles
• National boards: ECB, CA, PCB, CSA, CWI, NZC, SLC
• Publications: Wisden Almanack, ICC tournament media guides
• Where sources diverged, the majority or official team listing was chosen; where notable, ranges are mentioned in the prose.

If you’ve ever stood at the non‑striker’s end and watched a 2‑meter quick gather, you know this truth: height changes everything. The numbers above simply put names to that feeling.