The World Championship of Legends 2026, now in its third season, is a T20 tournament for retired international cricketers hosted in the UAE. The league stage ran from October 3 and concluded on October 14, 2026, with matches played across Sharjah Cricket Stadium and Dubai International Cricket Stadium.
Seven teams took part in the round-robin league stage, which comprised 21 matches in total. The top four sides have advanced to the semi-finals, scheduled for October 16, 2026, at Sharjah Cricket Stadium, with the final set for October 18. Three bowlers stood out above the rest when the league stage wrapped up.
Here are top 3 wicket-takers of WCL 2026 after league stage:
3. Piyush Chawla (India Champions)
Piyush Chawla, the leg-spinner representing India Champions, was the third-highest wicket-taker in the WCL 2026 league stage. He appeared in 5 matches and bowled 19.2 overs across the league stage, picking up 8 wickets while conceding 135 runs.
His bowling average at the end of the league stage stood at 16.88. Chawla was listed among the key players in the India Champions squad heading into the tournament, and his consistent returns across five outings underlined that billing. India Champions are not among the four sides who have progressed to the knockout rounds.
2. Dhawal Kulkarni (India Champions)
Dhawal Kulkarni, a right-arm pace bowler also playing for India Champions, finished the league stage as the second-highest wicket-taker. In 4 matches, he bowled 16 overs, claimed 9 wickets and conceded 143 runs, finishing with a bowling average of 15.89.
Kulkarni, the current bowling coach of Mumbai, also registered one four-wicket haul during the league stage. Kulkarni had already accumulated 7 wickets from his first 3 matches by around October 11, which highlighted how quickly he built his tally. His 9 wickets from 4 matches placed him just behind the tournament leader.
1. Hardus Viljoen (South Africa Champions)
Hardus Viljoen, a fast bowler for South Africa Champions, was the leading wicket-taker in the WCL 2026 league stage. He played 4 matches, bowled 15.5 overs and took 11 wickets while conceding only 126 runs, giving him a bowling average of 11.45. He also claimed one five-wicket haul during the league stage. Viljoen had 5 wickets from his first 2 matches by around October 11, meaning he added 6 more in his final 2 league outings.
His tally of 11 wickets matches the total Wayne Parnell recorded for South Africa Champions across 6 matches in the 2025 WCL edition, though Viljoen reached that mark in 4 matches. South Africa Champions, the defending champions having won the 2025 edition, will meet England Champions in Semi-Final 1 on October 16.
