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BRISBANE: Australian spearhead Mitchell Starc is on the verge of breaking the record of Pakistan’s iconic pacer Wasim Akram during the upcoming Ashes Test against England.
Since making his Test debut in 2011, Starc has claimed 412 wickets in 101 matches over a remarkable 14-year career.
He now needs just two more wickets to equal Akram’s tally of 414, the benchmark for left-arm fast bowlers in Test cricket.
Most Wickets in Test cricket by Left-Arm Pacers:
| Player | Team | Matches | Wickets |
| Wasim Akram | Pakistan | 104 | 414 |
| Mitchell Starc | Australia | 101 | 412* |
| Chaminda Vaas | Sri Lanka | 111 | 355 |
| Trent Boult | New Zealand | 78 | 317 |
| Mitchell Johnson | Australia | 73 | 313 |
The 35-year-old’s pursuit of this milestone comes as he continues to solidify his place among the all-time greats of the game.
During the opening Ashes Test at Perth, he almost single-handedly spearheaded Australia’s depleted pace attack, taking 7 for 58 in the first innings and finishing with ten wickets in the match to dismantle England.
Overall, 2025 has been a phenomenal year for the left-armer, who has picked up 39 wickets at an average of just 15.71.
If he maintains this form in the upcoming second Ashes Test starting on December 4, Starc has a perfect opportunity to surpass Akram.
Achieving six wickets in the match could see him climb from 17th to 15th on the list of all-time Test wicket-takers, overtaking Akram (414) and India’s Harbhajan Singh (417).
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