Home Cricket Facts Mitchell Starc set to break Pakistan legend’s single record during SL vs AUS Tests

Mitchell Starc set to break Pakistan legend’s single record during SL vs AUS Tests

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Mitchell Starc set to break Pakistan legend’s single record during SL vs AUS Tests


Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has already claimed 29 wickets in just five Tests in Sri Lanka.

The Test series between Sri Lanka and Australia begins in two days, and Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc is close to breaking former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram’s unique record.

Starc approaches a historic milestone

Mitchell Starc is close to a very rare feat in Test cricket. If he takes two wickets in the upcoming series in Galle starting Wednesday, he will overtake Pakistan’s Wasim Akram as the most successful visiting fast bowler in Test matches played in Sri Lanka.

What makes this achievement even more impressive is that Wasim Akram was a master bowler in Asian conditions, using his ability to swing both the new and old balls effectively at pitches that are generally more favorable to the spinners.

Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram took 30 wickets in eight Tests played in Sri Lanka between 1986 and 2000. He averaged 20.43 runs per wicket and took a wicket every 53.67 balls, which is approximately every nine overs.

On the other hand, Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has already claimed 29 wickets in just five Tests in Sri Lanka. His numbers are even better, averaging 17.48 runs per wicket and a strike rate of one wicket every 29.66 balls, or roughly every five overs.

Among bowlers with at least 25 Test wickets in Sri Lanka, no one, not even local hero and record-breaking player Muttiah Muralitharan, has been as quick to take wickets as Starc. The only player with a lower average than Starc is Sir Richard Hadlee of New Zealand, who took 27 wickets at an average of 12.30.

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Speaking to cricket.com.au, Mitchell Starc said he was proud to be in the same group as some of the greats, such as Wasim Akram, who he considers the greatest left-arm bowler of all time. He said how exciting it was to spend time with Wasim and learn bowling techniques such as wrist position and ball swing. Starc added that equaling or surpassing Wasim’s record would be a truly special moment for him.

“It’s very humbling to see some of those names. As a left-arm spinner, once I started bowling properly and watching Wasim, he was arguably the greatest left-hander of all time,” Starc told cricket.com.au.

“So being able to spend some time with him and listen to him talk about bowling and his wrist (position) and how to swing the ball has been really cool. “If I can get one or two (wickets), or get even with him or something like that, that would be great too,” he added.

The first Test between Sri Lanka and Australia begins on January 29 in Galle.

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