Top 10 Shortest Cricketer in the World (Updated 2026)

There is a common myth in Cricket that you need to be very tall to hit big sixes or bowl fast. However, some of the greatest legends have shown that being the shortest cricketer in the world can actually be a huge advantage. These players use their low centre of gravity to find great balance at the crease and move their feet quickly against the best bowlers in the world.

Even with the shortest height, players like Mushfiqur Rahim and Temba Bavuma have scored thousands of runs in international matches. They prove that you don't need to be a tallest player to dominate the game. This updated list includes almost the top 10 shortest height cricketer in the world who silenced the critics to become heroes for their country.

List of Shortest Cricketers in the World

The game of cricket has seen many legends who proved that height is not a requirement for greatness. Some of the best cricketers in the world, Kruger van Wyk, Parthiv Patel, Sunil Gavaskar, and Gundappa Vishwanath are part of the list of the shortest cricket player in the world.

These players used their small height to their advantage because it allowed them to get closer to the ball and manipulate its length effectively. Below is the updated list of the shortest players who became a nightmare for opponents.

Who is the Shortest cricket player in the world?

The title for the shortest cricketer in the world belongs to Kruger van Wyk. Standing at only 4'9", this wicketkeeper-batter showed that you don’t need to be tall to play at the highest level. Born in South Africa, he moved to New Zealand to play international cricket. Even as the shortest height cricketer in the world, he was famous for his quick footwork and brave batting against fast bowlers.

10. Sunil Gavaskar | India (5'5")

The legendary opening batter for India populary known as the "Little Master", Gavaskar was the first player to reach 10,000 Test runs. He has often joked that he never needed a helmet for bouncers because "the ball would go over my head anyway." He officially stated that his shortest height was a big plus against the terrifying West Indies bowlers.

9. Temba Bavuma | South Africa (5'4")

The captain of the South Africa national cricket team, Temba Bavuma, has scored over 3,800 Test runs and more than 2,000 ODI runs. In a major controversy in November 2025, during a Test match at Eden Gardens. A few Indian players caught discussing a DRS call and using the word “Bauna” to describe Bavuma. This led to a massive social media debate about body-shaming in sports.

8. Prithvi Shaw | India (5'4")

An explosive Indian opening batter, Prithvi Shaw, made a huge splash by scoring a century on Test debut. Although he is one of the shortest cricket players, his attacking style and quick hands make him a very dangerous player in the powerplay.

His height and batting stance are so similar to the GOD of Cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, that he was nicknamed "the next Sachin" before he even finished school.

7. Kedar Jadhav | India (5'4")

Indian middle-order batter, Kedar Jadhav, has played 73 ODIs, scoring 1,389 runs at an impressive average of 42.00. He was a "finisher" who could also pick up crucial wickets. His shortest height helped him keep a low bowling action that many batters found hard to read.

6. Mominul Haque | Bangladesh (5'3")

The former Bangladesh Test Skipper, Mominul Haque, holds the record for the most Test centuries for his country. Even though he is in the list of the shortest cricketers in the world, he is a giant in the middle order. We all have seen him batting for long hours to save or win matches.

5. Parthiv Patel | India (5'3")

At just the age of 17, Parthiv Patel debuted as a wicketkeeper-batter for India. In the initial days of his international cricket, Parthiv looked so young that Matthew Hayden once famously threatened to "punch his face" during a heated moment in Brisbane (2004). Hayden later admitted he was frustrated by the "little kid" sledging him.

4. Gundappa Viswanath | India (5'3")

Viswanath was an artist with the bat for India in the 70s. He played 91 Tests and scored 6,080 runs. He was famous for his square cut and elegant wristwork. Many experts say that because he was the shortest cricket player, he could get under the ball better than anyone else to play his signature shots.

3. Mushfiqur Rahim | Bangladesh (5'3")

One of the best wicket-keepers in the world, Mushfiqur Rahim, is popularly called the "Mushi" or "Pocket Dynamo." His height helps him play the sweep shot better than almost any other modern player. As the shortest cricketer in the world, his stamina is incredible, which helped him score multiple double-centuries in Test cricket through sheer hard work.

2. Tich Cornford | England (5'0")

An English wicketkeeper from the 1930s, Tich Cornford, is the second shortest player in test history. His nickname "Tich" was indeed a common term for someone small. He played 4 Tests for England and had a long first-class career with over 6,500 runs and 1,000 dismissals. For a long time, he was known as the shortest cricket player in the world before the record was finally broken.

1. Kruger van Wyk (4'9")

Standing at just 4'9", Van Wyk is the official shortest cricketer in the world to play at the international level. Multiple unofficial reports suggest that he moved to New Zealand because coaches in South Africa felt he was too short to be a top-tier wicketkeeper. However, with New Zealand, he remains the ultimate example of a player who succeeded at the top level despite having the shortest height.