Follow UsMitchell Starc broke the record of Pakistan legend Wasim Akram and became the highest wicket-taker in Tests among left-arm pace bowlers in the history of the game. He achieved this feat on Day 1 of the second Ashes Test at Gabba in Brisbane on December 4 (Thursday).
Already on 412 wickets, Starc was buoyed to break Wasim Akarm’s record of 414 Test scalps and the former Pakistan cricketer had predicted the same earlier.
"Right now, [Starc] is the number one bowler in world cricket and the hardest one to face in all forms of cricket. He will go past my record and that is fine because he is a man for the job and a worthy champion,” ESPNcricinfo quoted Akram as saying to NBC Corp.
"I am actually really proud of this guy. He has done wonders for his side and for cricket as a game. There are a lot of youngsters in the world who just want to be Mitchell Starc. He has plenty of cricket in him. I think he will get 500 Test wickets,” Akram had added.
Setting his prophecy right, Starc took not just three wickets required to get past him, but six to get himself another five-wicket haul. Now, he has 18 five-wicket hauls to his name, while Wasim finished with 25 in four Tests. This is Starc’s 102nd Test.
Asked whether he will be considered the Greatest Of All Time (GOAT) left-arm pacer, Starc said he was happy just to be mentioned in the same breadth as Akram. "I won't be calling myself that. I'll reflect on it later. Wasim's still a far better bowler than I am. So as far as I'm concerned, he's still the pinnacle of left-armers and certainly right up there with bowlers to ever play the game," Starc said at the Day 1 press conference in Brisbane.
“So it's nice to be spoken up of around that, but I'll just try and keep churning a few out,” added the left-arm quick.