Mitchell Starc completes 50 Test wickets against Pakistan with four-fer
Australian speedster Mitchell Starc has completed 50 wickets against Pakistan in Test cricket. He accomplished the milestone with a match-winning four-wicket haul (4/55) in the final innings of the recently-concluded second and Boxing Day Test in Melbourne. The left-arm pacer bowled with venom as he dismissed the likes of Abdullah Shafique (4), Saud Shakeel (24), Agha Salman (50), and Mir Hamza (0).
50 wickets against Pakistan for Starc
Starc has now raced to 51 wickets against Pakistan in 13 Tests at 30. He now owns five four-wicket hauls along with a fifer against the team. The left-arm seamer has scalped more wickets against only England in this format (97 wickets). On Pakistan soil, Starc played three Test matches, scalping eight wickets. He has claimed six wickets against them in UAE.
Starc has claimed 37 wickets against Pakistan at home
Starc has played seven Test matches against Pakistan at home, scalping 37 wickets at 25.35 The southpaw has been brilliant against the team with the best figures of 6/66. Overall, Starc is Australia's fourth-highest wicket-taker against Pakistan at home. He is only behind legends like Dennis Lillee (68), Glenn McGrath (47), and Shane Warne (45).
A look at Starc's overall Test numbers
Starc has been a mainstay for Australia in Tests since making his debut in 2011 against NZ in Brisbane. He has scalped 342 wickets from 84 Tests at an average of 27.53 (5W: 14, 4W: 19). Starc also owns two 10-wicket hauls. The 33-year-old has claimed 206 wickets in 47 home Tests. Overall, he is the fifth-highest wicket-taker for Australia.
Starc enters this elite club
Earlier in the match, Starc also completed 2,000 Test runs. He became the third Australian to register 300-plus wickets and 2,000-plus runs in this format. The left-arm pacer joined Shane Warne (708 wickets and 3,154 runs) and Mitchell Johnson (313 wickets and 2,065 runs). Overall, he is the 16th cricket to complete this double in Test cricket.
How did the match pan out?
Australia posted 318 after being asked to bat first as Marnus Labuschagne scored 63. Pakistan made 264 in response thanks to Abdullah Shafique (62) and Shan Masood (54). Pat Cummins claimed five wickets. Mitchell Marsh (96), Steve Smith (50), and Alex Carey (53) helped Australia finish at 262 in their second outing. Chasing 317, the visitors fought well but were eventually folded for 237.
