Most wickets by left-arm pacer in Tests: Starc overtakes Wasim Akram

Akram took 414 wickets in 104 Test matches at an average of 23.64. Starc now has 415 wickets and counting in 102 Tests.

Australia pacer Mitchell Starc scripted history on Thursday, overtaking Pakistan legend Wasim Akram for the most wickets in Test cricket by a left-arm pacer. Starc achieved the feat during the second Ashes Test against England at The Gabba in Brisbane.

 

Akram took 414 wickets in 104 Test matches at an average of 23.64. Starc now has 418 wickets and counting in 102 Tests. 

Most Test wickets by left-arm pacer
Rank	Player	Country	Matches	Wickets	Average
1	Mitchell Starc	Australia	102	418	26.54
2	Wasim Akram	Pakistan	104	414	23.62
3	Chaminda Vaas	Sri Lanka	111	355	29.58
4	Trent Boult	New Zealand	78	317	27.49
5	Zaheer Khan	India	92	311	32.94

 

Starc once again gave the hosts their first breakthrough in the first over, dismissing Ben Duckett. This was his 413th wicket in Test cricket and 26th wicket in first over of a Test match. 

Most wickets in first over
Player name	Country	wickets
Mitchell Starc	Australia	26
James Anderson	England	19
Kemar Roach	West Indies	10

 

    His 414th scalp came in his next over as Ollie Pope managed only an inside edge onto the stumps. His 415th scalp came after a slight wait but he eventually reached there in the 40th over when got Harry Brook caught in the slips with an out-swinger taking him to the helm of most wicket takers list by left arm pacers.     

Most wickets in Pink Ball Tests
Player name	Against	Wickets	Innings
Mitchell Starc	England	24	6
Mitchell Starc	West Indies	17	6
Shamar Joseph	Australia	16	4
Alzarri Joseph	Australia	16	6

Akram congratulates Starc on historic left-arm pace milestone

Former Pakistan captain and fast-bowling great Wasim Akram extended his congratulations to Australia’s Mitchell Starc after the left-arm quick became the highest wicket-taker among left-arm pacers in Test cricket. 

 

Akram, reacting to the achievement on X, said he was proud of Starc’s work ethic and believed it was only a matter of time before the Australian overtook him. He noted in his post that Starc’s consistency and effort had set him apart, adding that he was pleased to see the record pass on.

 

Shortly after going past Akram, Starc went on to complete his second five-wicket haul of the ongoing Ashes series. His wickets on the day included Duckett, Pope, Brook, Will Jacks and Gus Atkinson.