3 Greatest fast-bowling duos in cricket history

The idea that fast bowlers always hunt in pairs is a cliché. But have you ever wondered where this saying came about? Why do fast bowlers need to operate in pairs to be successful in the sport?

It is because bowling is all about putting the squeeze on the opposition batters. If a fast bowler is applying unrelenting pressure from one end, forcing the batters to activate survival mode rather than think of run-scoring options, the batters look to attack the bowler operating from the other end and put him under the pump.

It becomes paramount for the other pacer to be disciplined and bowl a probing line and length to exert the same pressure. If similar intensity of strain is applied from both ends, it forces batters to err in judgement and leads to their undoing. However, even if one of the pacers lacks discipline, it opens floodgates, and the pressure evaporates.

It is not merely by chance that the greatest fast bowlers the game has seen have always had a reliable partner who could match them in terms of intensity, aggression, steam and wicket-taking ability. The sport, in its centuries-long history, has witnessed numerous dynamic fast-bowling pairs, but there are three that are a cut above the rest. 

#3 Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh

Courtney Walsh and Curtly Ambrose were arguably the most feared fast-bowling pair of their generation. Both were right-arm fast bowlers and their ability to pepper batters with sweet chin music was second to none. Together, Walsh and Ambrose played in 95 Tests for West Indies, claiming 762 wickets, averaging 8.02 wickets per match.

Ambrose finished his career with 405 wickets in 98 Tests, averaging 20.99, including 22 five-fors. Meanwhile, Walsh played 132 red-ball contests and registered 519 wickets, a record at the time, averaging 24.44 with the same number of five-wicket hauls as Ambrose.

#2 James Anderson and Stuart Broad

James Anderson and Stuart Broad are modern-day legends. No fast-bowling pair has even been as successful as this English duo in terms of number of wickets in the history of the game.

The right-arm pair played 138 Tests together and accounted for a whopping 1039 wickets. They averaged 7.53 wickets per Test despite the longevity, which makes them one of the greatest of all-time. Individually, Anderson finished his career as the third-highest wicket-taker in Tests with 704 poles in 188 games. He claimed a staggering 32 five-fors and averaged 26.45.

Broad has an equally impressive CV to show for. He claimed 604 wickets in 167 Tests at an average of 27.68, including 20 five-wicket hauls.

#1 Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis

Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis are arguably the greatest fast-bowling pair to play Test cricket. Keeping the skill aside, their left-right combination made them a nightmare for batters as they had to adjust on their feet to the change in the angle of release every over.

In 61 Tests together, Wasim and Waqar hunted down 559 wickets at an average of 9.16 dismissals per match. Wasim claimed 414 wickets in 104 Tests, including 25 five-wicket hauls at an average of 23.62. Waqar, meanwhile, snared 373 wickets in 87 Test appearances at an average of 23.56 and picked up 22 five-wicket hauls.