Mitchell Starc Breaks Mohammed Shami's World Record Of Most Wickets In...
Last Updated:
In the five ICC finals played so far for Australia, Mitchell Starc has picked up 11 wickets so far, which is one more than Shami's tally of 10 in four ICC finals.
Mitchell Starc is leading Australia's bowling attack against South Africa in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025 final. On Day 1 of the match taking place at Lord's in London, the left-arm pacer picked up two wickets for the Baggy Greens. He opened his account by dismissing Aiden Markram for a six-ball duck on the last ball of the first over of South Africa's first innings and then removed Ryan Rickelton. The left-handed wicketkeeper-batter was caught by Usman Khawaja in the slip after making 16 runs from 23 balls with the help of three fours.
The wicket of Rickelton on Wednesday (June 11) helped Starc extend his tally of wickets to 11 in ICC finals, and he now becomes the leading wicket-taker in ICC finals.
Starc has played two ODI World Cups, one T20 World Cup, and two WTC Finals for Australia so far.
He finished with figures of 2/20 in the 2015 ODI World Cup final played against New Zealand and picked up three wickets for 55 runs against India in the 2023 ODI World Cup final played at Narendra Modi Stadium. In the 2021 T20 World Cup final played between Australia and New Zealand in Dubai, Starc failed to take any wickets and conceded 60 runs in his quota of four overs.
In the 2023 WTC final, the left-arm pacer from New South Wales picked up 2 wickets each in both innings against India.
Shami has played two WTC finals, one ODI World Cup, and one Champions Trophy final for India and picked up 10 wickets. He dismissed 8 batters in the WTC finals and one batter each in the ODI World Cup and CT final played in 2023 and 2025, respectively.
Former New Zealand fast bowler Trent Boult has 8 wickets to his name in ICC finals, whereas Starc's teammates Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins have picked up 7 wickets each.
Australia all out for 212
On Day 1 of the WTC 2025 final, Australia got bowled out for 212 runs in 56.4 overs. Beau Webster scored 72 runs from 92 balls for the Pat Cummins-led side, and Steve Smith made 66 runs from 112 balls. For South Africa, Kagiso Rabada picked up 5 wickets for 51 runs in 15.4 overs, and Marco Jansen accounted for the dismissal of three Australian batters.
First Published:
June 12, 2025, 15:45 IST
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
29 minutes ago
- India.com
Cricket Rules Changed: New MCC Law Makes Multiple Airborne Boundary Touches Illegal Under ICC Playing Conditions
In a landmark decision that's set to reshape modern fielding dynamics, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has announced a crucial amendment to the law governing boundary catches—specifically targeting the much-debated 'bunny hop' maneuver made famous by Michael Neser during the 2023 Big Bash League (BBL). The MCC's new interpretation, which restricts airborne fielders from making multiple contacts with the ball outside the boundary, will be integrated into ICC's playing conditions this month and officially enter the MCC's Laws in October 2026. Michael Neser's catch for Brisbane Heat against Sydney Sixers lit up BBL 2023. Chasing a lofted shot from Jordan Silk, Neser caught the ball while airborne near the boundary, tossed it up mid-air as his momentum carried him over the rope, jumped again while still airborne outside the field, and palmed the ball back in before returning inside the field of play to complete the dismissal. Though technically legal under the existing Law 19.5.2, the catch caused a storm on social media and among cricketing purists. Many deemed it against the spirit of the game—even though it followed the letter of the law. The MCC has now stepped in to rectify that perception. New Law: One Airborne Touch, Then Back In Under the revised regulation, a fielder who has jumped from outside the boundary is allowed only one touch of the ball while airborne. To complete the catch legally, they must land wholly within the boundary afterward. Any second contact made while still airborne outside the rope, or if the fielder lands outside after that touch, will automatically result in a boundary. Relay catches will also fall under this umbrella. If a fielder touches the ball from outside the rope—even to pass it to a teammate—they must return within the field of play before the ball is caught or grounded again. This essentially ends the multi-contact aerial acrobatics that have become increasingly common in limited-overs cricket. Why MCC Felt Change Was Needed In an internal note circulated by the MCC and shared with ICC member boards, the custodians of the game acknowledged that while these efforts have produced "some spectacular" moments, they have also resulted in "unusual-looking catches that, to the majority of the cricketing public, feel unfair." Specifically, the MCC cited Neser's effort as an example of a fielder who had 'gone too far' in exploiting a legal loophole. The change, according to MCC, aims to align the laws more closely with public perception of fairness while still preserving the artistry of fielding. What Remains and What Changes Importantly, Law 19.5.2's core principle—that a fielder's last contact with the ground before first touching the ball must be inside the boundary—remains intact. What changes is the allowance for multiple mid-air touches outside the boundary, which has now been removed. The MCC stopped short of rolling the law back to its pre-2010 version, which would have invalidated many of today's spectacular catches. The likes of Harleen Deol's jaw-dropping catch against England and Alex Hales' efforts in BBL 2020 are still legal under the new version, as long as the fielder makes the final play inside the boundary. When the Rule Takes Effect The ICC will implement the change immediately as part of the new World Test Championship (WTC) cycle starting June 17 with Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh in Galle. However, the formal incorporation into the MCC Laws will occur in October 2026, during the next round of global law revisions.
India.com
29 minutes ago
- India.com
Steve Smith Injury Update: Dislocated Finger Rules Australia Star Out Of WTC Final 2025 Against South Africa
In a gripping Day 3 of the World Test Championship Final 2025 at Lord's, Steve Smith's brave 66-run knock was quickly overshadowed by a gut-wrenching moment that could have serious implications for Australia's title hopes. The veteran batter and vice-captain dislocated his right little finger while attempting a sharp catch in the slips — a painful blow both physically and strategically for the Aussies. Also Read: Meet Aiden Markram's Wife – Everything to Know About Nicole Daniella O'Connor, Jewellery Brand Owner & Lifestyle Icon Smith, fielding close-in with a helmet on, dropped a critical catch offered by South African skipper Temba Bavuma, off Mitchell Starc's delivery. What made matters worse was the immediate aftermath — Smith clutched his finger in agony, visibly shaken, with reports later revealing that the bone had pierced through the skin, indicating a compound dislocation. Smith Taken to Hospital for X-Rays: Cricket Australia Confirms Injury Shortly after the incident, Cricket Australia issued a statement confirming the extent of the injury. 'Steve Smith has suffered a compound dislocation of his right little finger while fielding in the slip cordon during the ICC World Test Championship Final against South Africa at Lord's. He has been taken to hospital for X-rays and further treatment,' the statement read. Smith has been ruled out for the remainder of the match, dealing a heavy blow to Australia, who are trying to defend a modest second-innings lead. His absence from the field could potentially swing the match in South Africa's favour, especially with Bavuma being handed a second life. Match Situation: Proteas Closing in on Historic Win With a target of 282 runs, South Africa reached 72/2 at the time of the incident. Bavuma's reprieve, courtesy of Smith's drop, could prove to be a turning point in what has been a tightly-contested final. Australia managed only 212 in their first innings despite Smith's half-century, while South Africa posted a strong reply before the Aussies clawed back with some key wickets in the second innings. However, with 78 runs left to chase, the Proteas are now inching closer to a historic win at the Home of Cricket. Expert Reactions: Ian Smith and Others Weigh In Veteran broadcaster Ian Smith, commentating live, provided a grim update: 'It's a compound dislocation. You could see the pain etched across his face. This not only hurts them physically but mentally too — he's a pillar of this side.' Australian teammates looked stunned as Smith walked off flanked by the team doctor and physio. According to The Daily Telegraph, Smith reportedly dry-heaved at the sight of his finger, which was visibly misaligned and bleeding. Hope for Recovery: West Indies Series Still Possible Despite the severity of the injury, early signs point to no immediate need for surgery, which offers a ray of hope for Australian fans. Smith's wound has been stitched up, and he is expected to undergo further scans to assess ligament and tendon damage. If healing progresses well, Smith may be available for the upcoming Australia vs West Indies Test and T20I series, but the final call will depend on his recovery timeline and hand functionality in the coming weeks.
Indian Express
42 minutes ago
- Indian Express
Today South Africa expected to buck trend, snub fairytale-spoilers Australia
For once, Australia might not be able to stop a charming fairy tale from unfolding. This one is about a diminutive black cricketer from the township helping South Africa take a giant leap in the post-apartheid era. At Lord's on Saturday, the team with a history of spoiling many parties and pouring water on planned victory parades could well be dealing with the trauma they regularly inflict on their rivals. On Day 3 of the World Test Championship final, South Africa will be on the cusp of a famous win and the Aussies are very likely to end up as the world's most popular runners-up ever. South Africa, just two wickets down, needs 69 runs to be the second team this century to beat the mighty Aussies in an ICC final. And cheering the overnight unbeaten batsmen – opener Aiden Markram (102) and skipper Temba Bavuma (65) – to go past the target will be a host of jilted international cricketers and their army of traumatized fans, living with the painful memory of watching the Aussies walk away with silverware which they would think was within their grasp. What Germany is to football, Australia is to cricket. Puskas's Hungary, Cruyff's Total Footballers, England's golden generation, Maradona and Messi's Argentina, South Korea and Brazil at home – the world has often wondered how generations of German footballers are born with the knack of adding anti-climatic twists to perfectly flowing Cinderella tales. Akram's Pakistan, Ganguly and Rohit's India, Jayawardene's Sri Lanka, McCullum's New Zealand – to name a few – the Aussies too rarely missed the chance to prick those beautifully floating bubbles over the cricketing skies. The mighty cricketing nation is reputed to write its own scripts where the hare overruns the tortoise and Goliath pins down David. Giving credit where it is due, the famous Aussie consistency, like the fabled German efficiency, is single-handedly responsible for denying the sport many feel-good bedtime stories in different languages and dialects. This time it seems, fingers crossed, they have failed to make the sporting literature poorer. In years to come, kids in South African townships will be told the story of their country's first-ever full-time black captain Bavuma, whose name, in his native Xhosa, means Hope. It can't be anybody but a soothsayer who came up with such an apt name for the 5'4″ cricketing super hero. For a nation still dealing with apartheid era trauma, Temba returning home with its first major ICC trophy would mean so much to so many. A well-balanced mixed team, with no overwhelming intrigue around it, would have delighted the founding fathers of the born-again post-apartheid era South Africa. The sight of Markram and Bavuma – a white former captain and a black present skipper – guiding the team through a tricky chase would have gladdened the divided society used to hearing whispers of racial tensions in the sporting arena. Bavuma's men, in case they win this one, would have done more for the country's two big goals – inclusivity and reconciliation – than what most government initiatives could take years or decades. A title triumph in the game's toughest format would have sky-rocketed the ambitions of the young cricketers growing up in Langa, the black township near Cape Town where Bavuma grew. Not too far back, this used to be a ghetto with non-existent basic amenities. After Nelson Mandela's release from prison in 1990 and the subsequent multi-racial election in 1994, Langa saw change. The erstwhile marginalised space with match-box mud huts now has high-rise buildings with satellite discs perched on most balconies. Langa hasn't forgotten its past but it has certainly moved on. At the exact place where 69 black anti-apartheid protesters were killed by police bullets in 1960 is the Sharpeville massacre memorial. During a visit to Langa during India's 2018 tour to South Africa, one could feel the reverence among the locals for the martyrs and an optimism about the new life they gifted them. But Langa was bitter about the outside world's attitude towards their cricket and cricketers. That was the time, Bavuma had been dropped for the India Test in his own backyard – Newlands, Cape Town. Among those at the stadium disappointed by the playing XI selection was Cagew Ezra. He was 65 but looked barely 50. He had been tasked by the Western Province Cricket to develop cricket in black townships. Unofficially, he had kept an eye on Langa's bright young cricketers for ages. He was at the non-striker end, when Bavuma, just 13, came up with his coming-of-age match-winning knock for Langa CC. That day Ezra, a Black, knew Bavuma was special and he would take him under his wings. Passing cricketing wisdom to the next generation happens to be the age-old Langa tradition that Bavuma benefitted from. These timely tutorials by multiple experts shooting the breeze around Langa would make Bavuma change opinions and perceptions in South Africa. He would go on to prove that Black cricketers didn't take up the sport just to bowl at white and coloured players. Bavuma showed that players from townships can bat too. He would become the first black cricketer to score a Test hundred for South Africa. 'Temba is a big role model because every kid feels that I will get there one day,' Ezra would say. Bavuma's big test as a leader came up in the 2021 World T20 tournament where his close friend Quinton de Kock didn't take the knee, the symbolic support for the Black Lives Matter movement. This was a ticking time-bomb, a PR disaster waiting to happen. The world called de Kock's stand insensitive, but Bavuma didn't rush to pass judgement nor was he tongue-tied. 'My beliefs, the way that I see things, is shaped by my own experience and background, and so is the other person's. If there is a disagreement in terms of beliefs, in terms of views, that's why we have those hard conversations. Through those conversations, we will be able to get the comfort to accept the other person's decision. I can't force anyone to see things the way I do, neither can they force me to,' he would say. That day Bavuma rose in stature, from a shrewd captain he became a statesman. What he lacked to be hailed as a true leader was a Cup. On Saturday, he could tick that box too. Fingers crossed, this story is too good to have a tragic end.
