The impact of a Left Arm fast bowler can easily be understandable from 1992 ODI World Cup. An ardent Cricket fan can never forget the 1992 World Cup Final.A left arm fast bowler of Pakistan ensured victory of the first World Cup and England’s defeat.His mesmerizing spell paved the way for Pakistan’s triumph in the final. Can today’s rising generation guess the name of that left arm fast bowler. He was Wasim Akram. Very few will debate if he is called the greatest bowler of all time.
A left arm fast bowler is undoubtedly a valuable asset to a team. The delivery of the ball with a slightly wider angle can bewilder the batsman.
It is worth noting that only 10% of the world’s population is left-handed. Following this ratio, a team would only have two left-handed batsmen. Consequently, a left arm fast bowler often finds himself confronting right-handed batsmen for the majority of the game. Hence, the angle of delivery by a left-handed pacer tends to be greater. And the delivery can easily create trouble for the batsmen.
Let us now endeavor to compile a list of the top 10 left-handed pacers in the history of cricket.
10.Richard Collinge
The cricketing world still fondly recalls the first exceptional fast bowler of New Zealand. Sir Richard Hadley wasn’t the only Richard in the New Zealand team of 70’s.
The towering left arm fast bowler Richard Collinge played a pivotal role in New Zealand’s first Test Series victory over England. With a lethal inswinger, he dismissed Geoffrey Boycott at Wellington in 1977-78, leading to the complete collapse of the English team at a mere 64 runs.
Collinge’s contribution was crucial to that golden moment in New Zealand cricket.Richard Collinge displayed his exceptional bowling skills in both test matches and one day internationals against India. In the second test match of the 1976 India New Zealand series, Collinge claimed 6 wickets in the first innings. But the match ultimately ended without a result.
Collinge was not known for his batting prowess. He occupied the number 11 position in the batting order. However, his unbeaten knock of 68* against India set a record for the highest score by a number 11 batsman in Test cricket at that time.
This record was eventually broken by another left arm fast bowler, Zaheer Khan, 31 years later.In the first ODI of that series, Collinge single-handedly dismantled the Indian batting line-up, restricting them to a total of 154 runs. Collinge took 5 wickets and was awarded the Player of the Match accolade.
9.Allan Davidson
The Australian left arm fast bowler is widely regarded as one of the finest all-rounders of the 1950s. He not only posed a significant threat as a fast bowler, but also displayed his dominance as a lower order batsman and an exceptional fielder.
. He acquired the nickname ‘the claw’ due to his commendable ability to take close range catches.
. In the early stages of his career, Davidson failed to demonstrate his true potential, prompting captain Ian Johnson to attempt a transformation into a left arm orthodox spinner. However, Davidson’s remarkable performance against South Africa in 1956-57 propelled him into the spotlight.
. For the first time, he achieved the commendable feat of taking 6 wickets in a single Test innings.
. Upon his retirement, he held the distinction of being the leading wicket-taker among left arm fast bowlers in Test matches.Although Davidson was a decent batsman, he never managed to score a century in Test matches. Nevertheless, he concluded his career with 5 half-centuries
8.Bruce Reid
Readers may be surprised to see the inclusion of a 6’8″ tall Australian left arm fast bowler in this list. However, very few are aware that he was named the player of the tournament in the prestigious Ashes Series of 1990-91.
. Reid was undoubtedly one of the finest bowlers of the 1980s. Unfortunately, frequent injuries hindered his career progression. He was renowned for his natural ability to deliver steep bouncers, which caused trouble for right-handed batsmen.
In the 11th match of the Benson Hedges World Series in 1986, his fiery bowling decimated the Indian team. He took five wickets, four of which were key Indian batsmen – Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Vengsarkar, Mohammad Azharuddin, and Kapil Dev. During that era, Reid and McDermott formed a formidable foundation for the Australian bowling lineup.
7.Neil Wagner
Wagner, by birth, hails from South Africa. However, he made a permanent residence in New Zealand in 2008 with the intention of building his cricket career.
Wagner garnered attention in 2011 when he impressively secured five wickets in a single over during a first-class match. Subsequently, he established himself as a consistent member of the New Zealand test squad.
During the first innings of the initial test of the West Indies Tour of New Zealand in 2017-18, Wagner single-handedly decimated the West Indian batting line-up by capturing seven wickets.
With an impressive tally of 258 wickets in 63 Tests, Wagner ranks fifth in the list of highest wicket-takers for New Zealand.
Despite Wagner’s notable success in Test cricket, he has yet to attain recognition in T-20 matches. Surprisingly, not a single IPL franchise has shown interest in his abilities.
6.Trent Boult
Boult, without a doubt, stands as the premier fast bowler of New Zealand since Shane Bond. He exhibited commendable performance in his debut test against Australia in 2011. He contributed significantly to New Zealand’s first victory over Australia since 1993 by claiming four wickets in the match.
Trent Boult left an indelible mark of his fiery bowling prowess in Auckland against England. By dismissing six English batsmen in just 32 balls. He effectively halted their batting line-up at a mere 58 runs.Boult, the fourth bowler from New Zealand, triumphantly achieved the milestone of claiming 300 test wickets in 2022, during the match against Bangladesh.
Boult’s success extends to the ODI format as well. He secured a hat trick in the ODI World Cup against Bangladesh, becoming the first New Zealand bowler and the second worldwide to reach this extraordinary feat.By dismissing the Sri Lankan Skipper Krunal Mendis in the 2023 ODI World Cup, Boult became the first bowler from his country to reach the milestone of 50 wickets in ODIs.
Boult currently holds the seventh position in the list of highest wicket-takers in the ODI World Cup.
5. Mitchell Johnson
Mitchell Johnson, the recipient of the prestigious 2009 Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy, undoubtedly holds the distinction of being one of the most exceptional left-arm fast bowlers in the annals of cricketing history.
. During the 2005 Australia New Zealand series, amidst the formidable presence of Glenn McGrath in the Australian team, the selectors opted to nurture the promising young fast bowler Johnson, envisioning a prosperous future for the team.
. In 2006, Johnson demonstrated his immense potential against India, marking his seventh One Day International (ODI) appearance. With his bewitching spell, he claimed the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, and Yuvraj Singh. Hesilently asserted his rightful place as the deserving successor to the illustrious Glenn McGrath.
. In 2007, Johnson’s exceptional performance against England, where he secured four wickets in a mere eight balls. His performance cemented his position among the elite ranks of the finest fast bowlers of that era. Moreover, he demonstrated remarkable performance in the India Australia series of 2007. snaring 14 wickets on flat pitches, he exemplified his prowess and capabilities.
The year 2008 witnessed Johnson’s historic and unparalleled performance against South Africa. His destructive bowling caused the South African team to collapse from a commanding 3/234 to a mere 8/241. This performance left his indelible mark in the annals of cricketing history.
. Claiming 300 Test wickets, Johnson now stands as the fifth Australian bowler to accomplish this milestone. Additionally, he is the second Australian all-rounder to have achieved the distinction of securing both 300 wickets and 2000 runs in Test cricket.
. Furthermore, Johnson holds the esteemed position of being the fourth leading wicket-taker for Australia in One Day International (ODI) matches.
4. Zaheer Khan
Renowned for his exceptional skills, Zaheer Khan holds an esteemed place among the best bowlers to have ever represented the Indian Cricket Team.
During the initial stage of his career, he had to face tough competition from RP Singh and Shreesanth in order to secure his place in the Indian Team.
In the 2003 World Cup, Zaheer made an indelible impact and played a pivotal role in guiding the Indian Team to the finals. However, his performance in the final match against Australia was ruthlessly criticized. Mathew Hayden dismantled him in the very first over of the match of t2003 World Cup Final.
In 2004, Zaheer’s made a remarkable knock of 75 runs against Bangladesh. With this he broke Roy Collinge’s long-standing record of scoring unbeaten 68 as a number 11 batsman.Zaheer played a crucial role in India’s triumphant campaign in the 2011 World Cup.
He also emerged as the joint highest wicket-taker of the tournament alongside Shaeed Afridi.He achieved the distinction of 300 wickets in Test matches as the fifth Indian bowler. Zaheer also holds the fourth position in the list of Indian bowlers with the highest number of wickets in One Day Internationals (ODIs).
3. Chaminda Vaas
The Sri Lankan left-arm fast bowler is the most exceptional fast bowler to have emerged from his country thus far.
Vaas stands alone as the sole Sri Lankan fast bowler to have amassed over 300 wickets in Test cricket.
The 21-year-old Vaas assumed a pivotal role in securing the first Test Match victory against New Zealand in the home of Kiwis. In two consecutive Tests, he shouldered an immense responsibility in triumphing over New Zealand on their own turf.
He participated in the final of the 1996 World Cup.But his contribution to the team’s victory against Australia was not noteworthy. He managed to take only one wicket in that match.
Vaas’s performance in the 2003 World Cup left a profound impact. He captured 23 wickets, thus emerging as the leading wicket-taker of that tournament.
With a total of 49 wickets across four World Cups (1995, 1999, 2003, 2007), Vaas firmly established his name among the all-time greats. In the 2003 World Cup, Vaas etched history by dismissing three Bangladeshi batsmen in the first three balls of the match.
As an only Sri Lankan all-rounder, he amassed over 5000 international runs and took more than 500 wickets throughout his illustrious career.
2.Mitchel Starc
Australia has always introduced a gifted fast bowler to the cricketing world, from Lillee to McGrath. This tradition continues with the presence of a left-arm fast bowler. The towering Australian fast bowler set the record for the most wickets in a single World Cup with an impressive 27 in total. Mitchell Starc is renowned for his combination of speed and swing. He holds the record for the fastest delivery ever recorded in Test cricket at 160.4 km/hr.
He also joins the ranks of the top five Australian bowlers to have claimed 300 Test wickets.
Furthermore, he is an indispensable member of the Australian ODI team. With his tally of 236 ODI wickets, Starc occupies the fifth spot on the list of highest wicket-takers for Australia.
In T20 internationals, Mitchell Starc stands as the second-leading wicket-taker for Australia. Only Adam Zampa has managed to claim more wickets than Starc in this format. Mitchell Starc garnered attention due to his refusal to participate in the IPL.
. The Australian paceman openly expressed his desire to play in 100 Test matches.Even it meant sacrificing his involvement in the IPL. His mindset carries significant weight in the present era.Because most of the players at present eagerly await their participation in the IPL auction for gaining huge money.
1.Wasim Akram
The renowned fast bowler of Pakistan did not require any introduction. Wasim Akram, the King of Swing, is one of the greatest Fast Bowlers in the history of the game of cricket. The Left Arm fast bowler of Pakistan accomplished almost all the notable records of the cricket.
In 2002, Wisden published the list of the best players of all time. Akram was leading the list as the best bowler of all time.Akram commenced his international career in 1984. He achieved three wickets in the third One Day International of his career.
Throughout his retirement, he held the record for the highest number of wickets taken by a Pakistani bowler, and no other Pakistani bowler has surpassed his records.
Akram was bestowed with the Man of the Match award in the 1992 World Cup Final for delivering a superb performance. He took three wickets and scored 33 runs off 19 balls.Akram also proved to be a reliable lower-order batsman.
His unbeaten 257 in a test match against Zimbabwe still stands as the highest score by a No 8 batsman.Akram attained four International hat tricks.
Two of them were in One Day Internationals, and the remaining two were in Test matches.Following his retirement, he worked as a Coach for the IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders.
Shaheen Afridi – The Best Promising Left Arm Fast Bowler
The Surname Afridi must have some unknown connection with cricket. Once Shahid Afridi mesmerized the whole world with his all round performance. And nowAnother Afridi o is astonishing the whole cricket world with his magical bowling.
. An 18 year old Pakistani left arm fast bowler got chance in Pakistan’s T-20 International Squad against West Indies in 2018. Later he becomes the new sensation of Pakistan Cricket Team.
. Shaheen Afridi has become the back bone of Pakistan bowling line up at present. Dismissing Tanzid Hasan of Bangladesh in ICC world cup 2023, Shaheen has become the fastest bowler of Pakistan to claim 100 wickets in ODI. He broke the previous record made by Saqlain Mushtaq.
. This talented youngster becomes the first Pakistani bowler to claim 5 wickets for two times in World Cup. In ODI World Cup 2019 he took 6 wickets against Bangladesh and again in 2023 World Cup he claimed 5 wickets against Australia.
. In the third year of his career this left arm fast bowler earned the ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year.
Shaheen has all the qualities to be in the list of all time greats. Now let’s wait for more achievements of this youngster.
