Starc surpasses Pakistan’s Wasim Akram to become most prolific test left-arm pacer

Australia’s Mitchell Starc celebrates after taking the wicket of England’s Moeen Ali on day three of the fifth test match at The Oval, London on July 29, 2023. (Reuters/File)
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Updated 04 December 2025
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Starc surpasses Pakistan’s Wasim Akram to become most prolific test left-arm pacer

  • Mitchell Starc took his 415th test wicket during second Ashes test match against England in Brisbane
  • Akram, who took 414 test wickets from 104 test matches, is widely regarded as greatest left-arm pacer

BRISBANE, Australia: Australian veteran Mitchell Starc became the most prolific left-arm paceman in Test history on Thursday, surpassing Pakistan great Wasim Akram.

The 35-year-old bagged England’s Harry Brook at the Gabba in Brisbane on day one of the day-night second Ashes Test for his 415th wicket since his debut at the same ground 14 years ago.

It moved him past Akram, widely recognized as the greatest left-arm bowler the sport has seen.

Akram played 104 Tests for his 414 wickets with Starc reaching the milestone in his 102nd, helped by a career-best 7-58 in the first innings of the opening Ashes Test at Perth.

Starc is now 16th on the all-time wicket-taker list and could move above both India’s HarbHajjan Singh (417) and South Africa’s Shaun Pollock (421) in the current pink-ball Test.
After that he will have New Zealand’s Richard Hadlee (431) in his sights.