For decades, the number 414 has been the “Mount Everest” for left-arm fast bowlers. It was the benchmark set by the Sultan of Swing, Wasim Akram, a record that stood untouched for 22 years. This week, during the Pink Ball Ashes Test at the Gabba, that record finally fell. With the wicket of Harry Brook, Mitchell Starc officially moved past Wasim Akram to become the most successful left-arm pacer in the history of Test cricket.
It is a monumental achievement, but it has reignited the fiercest debate in cricket: Who is the true GOAT of left-arm pace?
The Numbers Game: Starc vs. Wasim Akram
Let’s look at the raw stats. The scary part is how similar their careers look on paper.
| Stat | Wasim Akram (PAK) | Mitchell Starc (AUS) |
| Matches | 104 | 102* |
| Wickets | 414 | 418 (and counting) |
| Average | 23.62 | 26.42 |
| Strike Rate | 54.6 | 46.3 |
| Best Bowling | 7/119 | 7/58 |
The Breakdown:
- Starc wins on Strike Rate: He takes a wicket roughly every 46 balls, which is significantly faster than Wasim. He is a pure strike bowler designed to blow teams away.
- Wasim wins on Average: At 23.62, Wasim’s average is elite. He wasn’t just taking wickets; he was miserly. To average 23 over a 104-match career on the flat, dead tracks of Pakistan is arguably a harder feat than Starc’s record on the bouncy tracks of Australia.
The “Eye Test”: Magic vs. Menace
Stats don’t tell the whole story. The way these two took their wickets defines their legacy.
Wasim Akram was a magician. He didn’t just bowl; he manipulated physics.
He could swing the ball both ways at 145kph, and he practically invented the dark art of reverse swing.
He could bowl a team out on a dustbowl in Chennai just as easily as on a green top in England.
He beat you with skill, guile, and late movement that made batters look foolish.
Mitchell Starc is a menace. He is 6’6″, bowls thunderbolts at the toes, and gets steep, awkward bounce. He is the greatest “Pink Ball” bowler in history and arguably the best white-ball bowler of his generation. His method is simple: pure, unadulterated aggression. He beats you with pace and the “unplayable” yorker.
The Mutual Respect (Class Acts)
Perhaps the best part of this record-breaking moment was the reaction from the men themselves.
Within minutes of the record falling, Wasim Akram posted a classy tribute:
“Super Starc! Proud of you, mate. Your incredible hard work sets you apart, and it was only a matter of time… I am pleased to give this to you!”
And Starc’s response? Pure humility. In the post-match interview, he shut down the comparison immediately:
“Wasim is still a far better bowler than I am. As far as I’m concerned, he’s still the pinnacle of left-armers… I’m just trying to churn a few out.”
The Verdict
Mitchell Starc now owns the record, and he deserves every bit of applause. In the modern era of flat pitches and heavy bats, to take 418+ wickets is superhuman.
But ask Starc himself, and he’ll tell you: Starc is the greatest statistical left-armer, but Wasim Akram remains the greatest left-armer to ever hold a ball.
Who is your GOAT? The Sultan or the Star? Let me know in the comments!