Starc's 6-12 makes him WTC's all-time leading wicket-taker, surpassing Cummins
Synopsis
Mitchell Starc didn't just take six wickets in Mackay — he rewrote WTC history. A devastating 6 for 12 that skittled Bangladesh for 64 pushed Starc past Pat Cummins to 230 WTC wickets all-time, while also moving him to 440 Test wickets overall, past Dale Steyn and into the top 10 in history. All this while Australia were fighting to avoid a series defeat to Bangladesh.
Key Takeaways
Mitchell Starc took 6 for 12 against Bangladesh in the second Test in Mackay , bowling the visitors out for 64 .
Starc is now the all-time leading wicket-taker in WTC history with 230 wickets from 56 matches , ahead of Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon ( 225 each).
He also leads the WTC 2025-27 cycle with 54 wickets from 10 Tests , just ahead of England's Josh Tongue ( 53 ).
Starc's 440th Test wicket moved him past Dale Steyn into 10th place on the all-time Test wicket-takers list and 5th among fast bowlers .
Australia arrived in Mackay trailing 1-0 after losing the first Test in Darwin by nine wickets .
Mitchell Starc rewrote World Test Championship history on Saturday in Mackay, producing a devastating 6 for 12 to bowl Bangladesh out for just 64 and, in the process, become the leading wicket-taker in WTC history. The left-arm pacer now holds 230 wickets from 56 matches, moving clear of his Australia teammates Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon, who each have 225.
The Record-Breaking Spell
Starc needed just one delivery to signal his intent, removing Shadman Islam with the very first ball of the Test — his fourth such first-ball wicket in Tests. He struck again in the third over, dismissing Tanzid Hasan before trapping Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto lbw with the very next delivery. Mominul Haque followed, caught by Cameron Green, and Litton Das was trapped lbw to complete a five-wicket haul in just 22 deliveries. The sixth wicket sealed one of the most destructive spells in recent Test memory.
Where Starc Now Stands in History
The performance was layered with milestones. Starc's tally of 230 WTC wickets puts him ahead of Cummins and Lyon (225 each). India's Ravichandran Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah complete the top five with 195 and 185 wickets respectively. In the ongoing WTC 2025-27 cycle, Starc also leads with 54 wickets from 10 Tests, edging past England's Josh Tongue, who has 53. Separately, Starc's 440th Test wicket moved him past South African great Dale Steyn into outright 10th place on the all-time Test wicket-takers list — and the fifth-highest wicket-taking fast bowler in the history of the format.
Context: Australia Bouncing Back
The record came at a critical juncture. Australia arrived in Mackay under pressure, trailing 1-0 in the series after Bangladesh stunned them by nine wickets in the opening Test in Darwin — one of the more surprising results in recent WTC cricket. Starc's spell, which helped dismiss the tourists for a meagre 64 after Australia won the toss and chose to field, provided the hosts with a commanding platform to level the series.
What It Means for the WTC Picture
Starc's dominance underscores Australia's continued reliance on pace to drive their WTC campaign. Notably, with Cummins and Lyon also in the top three of the all-time WTC list, Australia have three of the five most prolific wicket-takers in the championship's history. How Starc and Australia build on this platform in the remainder of the 2025-27 cycle will be closely watched by teams eyeing a place in the next WTC final.
Point of View
Not spin — three of the five leading wicket-takers in the championship's history are Australian quicks or allrounders. What makes this milestone sharper is the context: Australia were a team under pressure after an embarrassing defeat to Bangladesh in Darwin, and Starc responded with arguably the most consequential individual spell of the WTC 2025-27 cycle so far. The bigger question is whether this performance signals a peak or a continuation — Starc at 35 has now placed himself alongside Dale Steyn in the pantheon of fast bowling, and the remaining Tests in this cycle will determine whether he climbs further.
NationPress
22 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many WTC wickets does Mitchell Starc have?
Mitchell Starc now has 230 wickets from 56 World Test Championship matches, making him the all-time leading wicket-taker in WTC history. He moved ahead of Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon, who each have 225 WTC wickets.
What were Starc's figures against Bangladesh in Mackay?
Starc took 6 for 12 in the second Test in Mackay on Saturday, helping bowl Bangladesh out for just 64. He completed a five-wicket haul in just 22 deliveries, removing Shadman Islam, Tanzid Hasan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mominul Haque, and Litton Das.
Where does Starc rank on the all-time Test wicket-takers list?
Starc's 440th Test wicket moved him past South African great Dale Steyn into outright 10th place on the all-time Test wicket-takers list. He is also now the fifth-highest wicket-taking fast bowler in Test history.
Why was the Mackay Test significant for Australia?
Australia arrived in Mackay trailing 1-0 in the series after Bangladesh beat them by nine wickets in the first Test in Darwin — a major upset. Starc's spell gave Australia a strong platform to level the series.
Who are the top five WTC wicket-takers?
The top five all-time WTC wicket-takers are Mitchell Starc (230), Pat Cummins (225), Nathan Lyon (225), Ravichandran Ashwin (195), and Jasprit Bumrah (185).
