13/08/2026
Happy International Left-Handers’ Day (August 13)! 🏏✋
Today celebrates the roughly 10% of people who are left-handed, and cricket has long been a sport where southpaws punch above their weight—whether dismantling attacks with elegant or explosive batting, or creating awkward angles with the ball.
The CricTracker post you referenced captures it well with its “towering sixes to unplayable spells” line, paired with graphics highlighting all-time leaders:
Most international runs by left-handed batters
1.Kumar Sangakkara – 28,016
2.Brian Lara – 22,358
3.Sanath Jayasuriya – 21,032
4.Shivnarine Chanderpaul – 20,988
5.Chris Gayle – 19,593
Most international wickets by left-arm bowlers
1.Wasim Akram – 916
1.Chaminda Vaas – 761
1.Mitchell Starc – ~760 (and still adding; he recently became the leading left-arm Test wicket-taker)
1.Shakib Al Hasan – 712
1.Daniel Vettori – 705
Other standout left-handers who frequently top “finest” lists include Garry Sobers (the ultimate all-rounder), Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Allan Border, Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh, Alastair Cook, David Gower, Mitchell Johnson, Rangana Herath, and Zaheer Khan.
A slightly tightened alternative caption could be:
“Happy International Left-Handers’ Day 🏏✋
From Lara’s 400* and Sangakkara’s elegance to Akram’s reverse swing and Starc’s yorkers—celebrating cricket’s greatest southpaws.”
Who’s your favourite left-hander in cricket history (batsman or bowler)?
