On International Left-Handers Day, Mitchell Starc produced a milestone perfectly suited to the occasion. The Australian quick dismissed Shadman Islam for 20 runs in Darwin to move to 434 Test wickets, surpassing Sri Lankaโs Rangana Herath, who claimed 433 wickets, to become the most prolific left-arm bowler in Test history.ย
Starcโs achievement is another remarkable chapter in his legendary career. His 434 wickets now put him ahead of Herath, with Wasim Akram (414), Daniel Vettori (362) and Chaminda Vaas (355) completing the top five.ย
Most wickets by left-arm bowlers in Test cricket history:
| Rank | Name | Team | Tests | Wicket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mitchell Starc | Australia | 106* | 434 |
| 2 | Rangana Herath | Sri Lanka | 93 | 433 |
| 3 | Wasim Akram | Pakistan | 104 | 414 |
| 4 | Daniel Vettori | New Zealand | 113 | 362 |
| 5 | Chaminda Vaas | Sri Lanka | 111 | 355 |
| 6 | Ravindra Jadeja | India | 89 | 348 |
| 7 | Trent Boult | New Zealand | 78 | 317 |
| 8 | Mitchell Johnson | Australia | 73 | 313 |
| 9 | Zaheer Khan | India | 92 | 311 |
| 10 | Derek Underwood | England | 86 | 297 |
Bangladesh pacers put Australia on the back foot
Starcโs record came on a day when Australia had already been rocked by a remarkable bowling display from Bangladesh. The hosts opted to bat first but struggled against a disciplined pace attack and were eventually dismissed for 198 runs, which is their lowest Test total against Bangladesh.
Hasan Mahmud led the charge as the 26-year-old registered career-best figures of 6/55 from 17 overs. Taskin Ahmed and Ebadot Hossain also played key roles in dismantling Australia’s batting line-up.ย
Notably, Mahmud made his impact early, removing Jake Weatherald and Travis Head in successive breakthroughs. Ebadot then accounted for Marnus Labuschagne before Cameron Greenโs dismissal, which left Australia reeling at 74/4.
Steve Smith was the only Aussie batter to show some resistance. The veteran batter made 71 runs before wickets continued to fall at the other end. Mahmud eventually removed the former Australia captain to complete his six-wicket haul and put Bangladesh firmly in control of the opening innings.
Bangladesh start well with the bat
Despite Shadmanโs early dismissal, Bangladesh managed a good start with the bat. Mominul Haque and Tanzid Hasan looked in good touch as the visitors looked to be well in control of the innings. The goal will be to continue with the momentum and not lose wickets till the end of the day. If they manage to pull that off, the Najmul Shanto-led side will head to the dressing room feeling confident and psychologically ahead in the race.ย
Australia, on the other hand, desperately need wickets to turn the tide. The Bangla Tigers can take a lead in the first innings, which can hurt the hosts later in the game.ย
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Australia register lowest Test score vs Bangladesh after Hasan Mahmud claims six in Darwin