Mitchell Starc become the highest wicket-taker in cricket World Cup history after picking up a wicket in the first over of the Australia vs Bangladesh Super 8 match at Sri Vivan Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua on Thursday.
Starc picked up his 95th scalp in his 52nd World Cup match (ODI and T20Is combined) bettering the great Lasith Malinga’s tally of 94 that came in 60 matches. Starc got rid of opening batter Tanzid Hasan after Australia won the toss and opted to bowl first.
This is Starc’s eighth ICC tournament and fourth T20 World Cup. In his T20 World Cup first edition, in 2012, Starc returned 10 wickets from six matches at an average of 16.40. In 2014, Starc only managed 5 wickets from four matches in Bangladesh, while in the 2021 edition the tearaway pacer picked nine wickets in 7 matches, while in 2022, at home, Starc could scalp three wickets from three matches. In the current edition, Starc has picked up three wickets so far. In the T20 World Cups, Starc now has 30 wickets to his name.
In ODI World Cups, he has 65 wickets. Starc’s first ODI World Cup was the 2015 edition at home returning 22 wickets at 10.18 and followed it up with another stellar performance in the 2019 edition with 27 wickets from 10 matches at 18.59. In the 2023, edition Starc picked 16 wickets at 33.00 from 10 matches.
Starc has been a big player for Australia in ICC tournaments and is third in the list of most wickets in 50-over World Cup with 65 wickets, behind only Muttiah Muralidharan (68) and Glenn McGrath (71). Among bowlers with most wickets in T20 World Cups, Starc is 16th in the list led by Shakib al Hasan (49).
