Australian pacer Mitchell Starc has recently surpassed former Sri Lankan bowler Lasith Malinga to become the leading wicket-taker in the history of the T20 World Cup. Starc set this new record during the ongoing ninth edition of the T20 World Cup 2024, held in the United States and West Indies. This achievement also makes him the top wicket-taker in both ODI and T20 World Cups combined.
Starc reached this milestone in Australia’s recent Super 8s match against Bangladesh, which Australia won by 28 runs using the DLS method. During the first over, Mitchell Starc dismissed Tanzid Hasan with a full out-swinging delivery, marking his 95th wicket in World Cup history. This surpasses Malinga’s previous record of 94 wickets across ODI and T20 World Cups.
Mitchell Starc Strikes Against Bangladesh to Becomes Leading Wicket Taker In World Cup History
Currently, Starc has 65 wickets in the ODI World Cup and 30 in the T20 World Cup. With several matches still to play in the 2024 T20 World Cup, he has the potential to further extend his record. Despite this achievement, Starc has struggled in the current tournament, with Tanzid’s wicket being only his third in four innings.
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In the ODI World Cup, Starc is the third-highest wicket-taker, boasting 65 scalps at an average of under 20 and an economy rate of 5.15 across 28 matches. However, in T20 World Cups, he ranks 13th with 30 wickets at an average of 25.63 in 24 games.
Remarkably, Starc reached this combined World Cup milestone in just 52 innings, whereas Malinga took 60 innings to achieve his 94 wickets. Starc’s swift ascent highlights his prowess and consistency in the World Cup tournaments, setting a new benchmark for future cricketers to aspire to.