Mitchell Starc Reacts To Breaking Wasim Akram's Record, Says, 'He Still Is...'

Ashes 2025: Mitchell Starc scripted history on the first day of the ongoing Test match as he surpassed Wasim Akram's tally and became the pacer with the most wickets in the longest format. And after breaking the record, Starc still called Akram the pinnacle of left-arm bowling.

He scripted this record in the second session when he took Harry Brook's wickets and took his tally to 415 wickets. He had rattled England's batting attack by dismissing opener Ben Duckett on the first ball and then dismissing Ollie Pope and leveling Akram's tally of 414. He achieved this milestone when he broke the partnership between Zak Crawley and Joe Root.

Starc talked about breaking this record and also dismissed this achievement with modesty.

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"I'll reflect on it later. Wasim is still the pinnacle left-armer, I think he's still better. (Key to his incredible success with the pink ball) I get asked all the time, and I still don't know. It is what it is. I think it's still like a white ball. Today, it was a softball. A couple of Yorkshiremen, runs and wickets. Joe batted well there. A pretty tough day's cricket. I think once that ball goes soft, it's not the easiest thing to score with. It's certainly not the easiest thing to bowl with when it's soft. Proper Test cricket. Pink ball, 9 for 320, pretty solid day's Test cricket," he said in the post-match presentation.

Akram also congratulated Starc. He took to his official X account and wrote, “Super Starc! Proud of you, mate; it was only a matter of time before you crossed my tally of wickets. Go well and keep soaring.”

Starc registered figures of 6/71 as he maintained a sublime after taking a 10-fer in the series opener in Perth. His early strike and record wicket helped the host maintain their dominance despite Joe Root's brilliant ton, which helped the visitors bounce back.

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Root and Crawley stabilised the innings for the visitors after they had suffered a batting collapse as Starc took wickets at regular intervals and made sure that the hosts had an upper edge. Steve Smith took the catch of Brook while standing at slip and helped Starc create the record that he wanted to.

Starc is currently lying at the top position in the list of left-arm fast bowlers taking wickets in this format, as he has taken 415 wickets and has surpassed Akram's tally of 414.

The Ben Stokes-led side were 325/9 till stumps, but Starc was the star performer of the day.