Tag: Mitchell Starc

Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has been named the leading men’s cricketer in the world by Wisden Almanack, while India’s Deepti Sharma was named the leading women’s cricketer on Monday.

The UK-based Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, which dates back to 1864, is an annual record of all major cricket worldwide and is regarded as the sport’s “Bible”.

The publication named four Indian players who starred in a thrilling 2-2 drawn Test series in England last year among its five cricketers of the year.

Men’s Test captain Shubman Gill, spin-bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant and fast bowler Mohammed Siraj were all on the list.

The only English player in the group of five was former Test opener Haseeb Hameed, who led Nottinghamshire to the County Championship in 2025.

Players can only receive the award once in their careers, and it is based predominantly on performances during the previous English season.

Gill also received the Wisden Trophy for Test performance of the year after he scored 269 and 161 in the second Test at Edgbaston.

Deepti Sharma succeeds compatriot Smriti Mandhana as Wisden’s leading women’s cricketer of the year for her all-round performances in India’s 50-over World Cup triumph, with Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc receiving the men’s award.

Starc, 36, claimed 55 Test wickets at 17.32 in 11 Tests in the calendar year, including a career-best haul of 6 for 9 against West Indies.

He then backed that up with 18 wickets in the first two Tests of the 2025-26 Ashes, en route to a series-winning haul of 31 at 19.93.

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Meanwhile, Sharma, 28, was India’s player of the tournament as they claimed their maiden 50-over women’s World Cup crown with a 52-run win over South Africa in the final in Navi Mumbai.

In the course of the campaign, she scored 215 runs at 30.71 alongside 22 wickets at 20.40, and excelled in the final with a run-a-ball 58 and a match-sealing haul of 5 for 39.

The prolific Abhishek Sharma was named Wisden’s leading T20 cricketer of the year.

Wisden editor Lawrence Booth, however, criticised the increasing Indian influence on English domestic cricket’s Hundred, with four of the eight franchises now linked to owners of Indian Premier League teams after a huge influx of private investment.

“The competition’s new ownership structure risks turning The Hundred into an IPL proxy event, more for the benefit of Indian businessmen than English cricket,” wrote Booth.

He also pulled no punches in labelling England’s woeful Ashes campaign as “feckless, reckless and legless”.

England, humiliated 4-1 by Australia, were criticised for insufficient planning, confused tactics and an over-relaxed approach to off-field behaviour, highlighted by reports of excessive drinking during a mid-tour break.

“In the game’s long history, it is hard to think of a privilege so carelessly squandered, a chance so blithely spurned,” wrote Booth.

“England were feckless, reckless and legless. These were the wing-and-a-prayer Ashes and England got what they deserved. What a waste. What a shame.”

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Australia’s ace pacers Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood are likely to miss start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 due to Cricket Australia’s (CA) workload management plan.

According to a report by Cricinfo, CA will be monitoring the workloads of their ace fast bowlers ahead of a packed international calendar.

Their unavailability means (Mitchell Starc) Delhi Capitals and (Josh Hazlewood) Royal Challengers Bangalore will be without their services, adding to the growing list of Australian cricketers who are not available for part or all of the upcoming season.

Pat Cummins will also miss the start of the IPL, as Ishan Kishan has been named as the captain of Sunrisers Hyderabad.

Jack Edwards (Sunrisers Hyderabad) was completely ruled out on Friday, and Nathan Ellis (Chennai Super Kings) is also expected to be sidelined due to a hamstring injury.

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Cummins featured in one Ashes Test in the Australian summer due to a stress injury, while Hazlewood was ruled out of the entire Ashes and T20 World Cup 2026.

Mitchell Starc, who topped the wickets charts in the Ashes and played all five Tests, is already retired from T20Is. Hence, he was not part of the Australia squad that exited the group stage. Cummins and Hazlewood missed the mega as well.

For those unware, Australia will play up to 21 Tests from August 2026 to July 2027.

The IPL 2026 will run from March 28 to late May.

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BRISBANE: Mitchell Starc’s four wicket haul backed by gutsy half-centuries from Steve Smith and Sam Curran propelled Sydney Sixers to a five-wicket win over Brisbane Heat in the Big Bash League (BBL) 15 knockout fixture.

Sydney Sixers chased down 172 in 18.4 overs, losing five wickets in the process.

The BBL 15 finals — Playoffs will commence on 20 January with Sydney Sixers facing Perth Scorchers in the Qualifier.

Meanwhile, third-placed Hobart Hurricanes will square off against fourth-placed Melbourne Stars in the knockout.

After losing Babar Azam (1) and Josh Philippe (8) in the first three overs, Steve Smith held the innings together with a string of partnerships.

The right-hander, who top-scored with 54 from 40 balls, including five boundaries, steadied the innings, first stitching a 43-run partnership with skipper Moises Henriques.

The pair’s partnership brought the total to 74 in 8.4 overs before Henriques was caught after scoring 20.

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Smith followed the stand with another crucial partnership off 60 runs alongside Sam Curran that took the game away from the Brisbane Heat. Sam Curran hit two sixes and five fours in his 53* from 27 balls.

For Brisbane Heat, Xavier Bartlett picked up two wickets.

Earlier, after put into bat first, Brisbane Heat racked up 171-9 at the end of their allotted 20 overs.

Nathan McSweeney starred with the bat, scoring a vital 69 from 54 balls, which was laced with eight fours.

Michael Neser was the other notable contributor as he captilized on the power surge, hitting 35 off 14 balls with the help of two sixes and five fours.

For Sydney Sixers, Mitchell Starc was the star bowler as he picked up the first four-wicket haul of his short BBL career.

READ: WATCH: Babar Azam falls cheaply in must-win clash for Sixers

DUBAI: Australia fast bowler Mitchell Starc has been named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for December 2025, following a series of match-winning performances in the 4-1 Ashes triumph at home.

Starc edged out West Indies batter Justin Greaves and New Zealand seamer Jacob Duffy for the honour.

The left-arm quick played a central role throughout the Ashes, setting the tone early with a 10-wicket haul in the opening Test in Perth before backing it up with eight wickets in Brisbane.

He continued to make telling contributions in the latter half of the series, claiming four wickets each in Adelaide and Melbourne to finish December with 16 wickets for the month.

Starc’s influence was not limited to the ball. Timely half-centuries in Brisbane and Adelaide added valuable runs down the order and helped Australia establish an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series.

Australia eventually sealed the Ashes 4-1, with Starc finishing as the leading wicket-taker with 31 scalps and collecting the Player of the Series award for his all-round impact.

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“It’s an honour to be named the ICC Player of the Month, and even more special that it came on the back of such a successful home Ashes,” Starc said.

“Playing a part in winning such an iconic series in front of our home crowd is something we will all cherish for a long time.”

Looking ahead, he underlined the importance of sustaining Australia’s recent momentum as the side targets further success in the longest format.

“As a team, we’ve had some outstanding performances in recent years. The focus now is on building that momentum towards next year’s ICC World Test Championship Final,” he added.

The award marks Starc’s first ICC Men’s Player of the Month recognition and ends a two-year wait for an Australian winner, with Pat Cummins having last claimed the honour in December 2023.

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DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday revealed the men’s player of the month nominees for the month of December 2025, including Australia ace pacer Mitchell Starc.

Besides Starc, West Indies Justin Greaves and New Zealand’s Jacob Duffy are among the shortlisted players.

Starc was inducted into the list on the back of his stellar Ashes series. The left-arm pacer picked up 16 wickets in the month of Dec alongside scoring 139 runs in first three Tests.

The tall left-arm quick was named player of the match in second Ashes Test for taking eight wickets and scoring 77 runs which set up Australia’s win.

Overall, Starc remained instrumental in Australia’s 4-1 success over England as  picked up 31 wickets in five matches and scored 156 runs.

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Meanwhile, Justin Greaves displayed his batting prowess in the Test series against New Zealand, amassing 283 runs at an average of 56.60 in three matches.

The right-hander was at his best during the opening match of the series at Christchurch where he scored an unbeaten 202 in the fourth innings, salvaging a memorable draw for his side.

Apart from batting, he also took five wickets in a time when West Indies needed most.

New Zealand pacer Jacob Duffy had a stellar 2025 where he remained BlackCaps leading wicket-taker across formats — 81 wickets, surpassing Richard Hadlee’s record of 79 set in 1985.

He remained the leading wicket taker in the home series agianst the West Indies, scalping 23 wickets at a moutwatering average of 15.43 in three matches.

The 31-year-old was pivotal in New Zealands’ 2-0 series victory, earning him the Player of the Series award.

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Fresh off a dominant 4-1 Ashes triumph over England, Australian stars Mitchell Starc and Steve Smith are set to shift their focus to the Big Bash League (BBL), where they will join Pakistan superstar Babar Azam at the Sydney Sixers.

Both Starc and Smith confirmed their availability for the Sixers during Australia’s post-match press conference following the fifth Ashes Test, with several other Ashes-winning players also expected to feature in the ongoing Big Bash season.

For Starc, the return carries added significance as it will mark his first appearance for the Sixers since BBL 04, having featured in overall ten matches across four seasons.

Smith, meanwhile, is set to feature in his fourth consecutive Big Bash campaign, having delivered memorable performances in recent seasons, including an unbeaten 121 against the Perth Scorchers last year.

Starc capped off a sensational Ashes series by claiming the Compton-Miller Medal as Player of the Series, courtesy of 31 wickets and a vital 156 runs across five Tests.

Speaking after the series, the left-arm quick made it clear that the Big Bash is now his immediate priority.

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“I’m certainly not looking two years down the road just yet,” Mitchell Starc said when asked about the 2027 Ashes in England.

“I’ll pull on the magenta with the man [Smith] next to me. We’ll see if we can help the Sixers get to another final. Other than the BBL, I haven’t got too many plans other than a bit of golf.”

Starc, who retired from T20Is in October to manage his workload and extend his Test career, could make his Sixers return as early as Sunday, January 11, when Sydney face the Hobart Hurricanes at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).

The timing of their arrival could prove crucial for the Sixers, who currently sit fourth on the BBL 15 points table with three wins and three losses.

Despite securing the services of global star Babar Azam, the Sixers are yet to fully hit top gear this season.

They most recently edged past Brisbane Heat in a low-scoring thriller at Coffs Harbour, chasing down just 115 to stay in the top-four hunt.

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DUBAI: Pakistan spinner Noman Ali has reached a career-high position in the ICC Men’s Test bowling rankings, moving to joint second place in the latest update released on Wednesday.

Noman now shares the second spot with Australia’s Mitchell Starc, with both bowlers sitting on 843 rating points, while India’s Jasprit Bumrah continues to lead the rankings.

The reshuffle comes after Australia captain Pat Cummins dropped two places, opening the door for Noman’s rise, while Starc moved up following his four-wicket haul in the Boxing Day Test defeat against England.

The surge caps a remarkable year for Noman in red-ball cricket. The left-arm spinner has taken 30 wickets in just four Tests, averaging 17.50 with an economy rate of 3.40.

His performances include three five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket match returns, underlining his growing influence in Pakistan’s Test setup.

Australia’s Scott Boland also enjoyed a significant climb, moving up two places to seventh with a career-best rating of 810.

England fast bowler Josh Tongue made one of the biggest jumps after his Player-of-the-Match performance against Australia, climbing 13 places to 30th following figures of 5-45 and 2-44 in the match.

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Among Pakistani bowlers, Shaheen Shah Afridi slipped one position to 24th, while Mohammad Abbas dropped to 28th and Sajid Khan fell to 29th with 590 points. Spinner Abrar Ahmed moved up one spot to 50th with 401 points.

Khurram Shahzad and Aamer Jamal maintained their 70th and 78th rankings, respectively, while Asif Afridi remains 95th on the list.

In the ICC Men’s Test batting rankings, Saud Shakeel continued his upward progress, climbing to ninth with 734 points. Mohammad Rizwan also improved his standing, rising to 21st.

Babar Azam retained his 23rd position, while all-rounder Salman Ali Agha jumped to 27th with 630 points.

Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood stayed at 44th, Imam-ul-Haq at 51st, Abdullah Shafique at 56th, and Kamran Ghulam slipped to 85th. Aamer Jamal and Saim Ayub are joint 95th.

At the top of the batting rankings, England’s Joe Root remains number one, with Harry Brook moving up three places to second. New Zealand’s Kane Williamson dropped to third.

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Pakistan ace pacer Shaheen Afridi lavished praise on Australia speedster and his role model Mitchell Starc ahead of the much-anticipated debut in the Big Bash League (BBL) 15.

Shaheen, who will represent Brisbane Heat in Australia’s premier T20 competition, spoke about his early memory of watching Starc bowl in the 2015 World Cup.

“He’s a legend,” Afridi said.  “When ‘Starcy’ played that 2015 World Cup, I was playing for the Under 16 Pakistan team at that time, so…I followed him to try to bowl many times the way he swung the ball,” he recalled.

“He bowled a fuller ball throughout that World Cup and had very good success.”

He also talked about his chat with Mitchell Starc while calling him an idol for youngsters.

“The last time we chatted, I told him that I watched him (in 2015) … and that’s why I bowl fuller to batters,” Afridi continued.

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“I can say he’s a role model for any youngster… he’s been the best for Australia for many years,” he concluded.

It is pertinent to mention that Mitchell Starc (420) recently surpassed former Pakistan great Wasim Akram’s (41`4) tally of most wickets as a left-arm pacer. The 35-year-old Starc reached the landmark during the second Ashes Test.

For the unversed, several Pakistani players were hot picks in the BBL 15 draft held earlier.

The tournament, running from December 14 to January 25, 2026, will feature 44 matches. Notably, most of the tournament’s fixtures will be played primarily in prime-time evening slots.

Alongside Babar and Shaheen, several other Pakistan internationals will feature this season: Mohammad Rizwan and Hassan Khan will line up for Melbourne Renegades, Haris Rauf has signed with Melbourne Stars, Shadab Khan with Sydney Thunder, and Hasan Ali with Adelaide Strikers.

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Legendary cricketer and one of the all-time great fast bowlers Wasim Akram has lavished praise on Australia quick Mitchell Starc for surpassing his wicket tally in the longest format of the game during the pink-ball Ashes Test.

Akram, 59, took to his social media account to mention the pacer’s hard work, which helped him reach the top level.

“Super Starc! Proud of you, mate. Your incredible hard work sets you apart, and it was only a matter of time before you crossed my tally of wickets. I am pleased to give this to you! Go well, and keep soaring to new heights in your stellar career,” Akram wrote on X

Earlier in the day, the tall Australian quick became the highest wicket-taker among left-arm pacers in Test cricket, leaving behind the legendary Pakistani pacer.

He crossed the landmark by dismissing Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, and Harry Brook in a devastating opening spell of the day-night Test, taking his tally to 415 wickets in just 102 matches.

Akram had previously held the record with 414 wickets from 104 Tests.

Most Wickets in Test cricket by Left-Arm Pacers:

Player	Team	Matches	Wickets
Mitchell Starc	Australia	102	418*
Wasim Akram	Pakistan	104	414
Chaminda Vaas	Sri Lanka	111	355
Trent Boult	New Zealand	78	317
Mitchell Johnson	Australia	73	313

Moreover, Starc also strengthened his remarkable dominance in pink-ball cricket.

He now has 87 wickets in day-night Tests, the most by any bowler globally, and has become the first player in Test history to claim more than 20 wickets against a single opponent in pink-ball matches.

Nonetheless, Mitchell Starc picked up another five-wicket haul and ended the day’s play with six wickets to his name. Meanwhile, England managed to add a crucial number of runs on the last wicket and finished the opening day with 325-9.

Joe Root remained unbeaten at 135 from 202 balls, whereas Jofra Archer hit a quickfire 32 from 26 balls.

READ: Joe Root ends Australian century wait in second Ashes Test

BRISBANE: Australia’s fast bowler Mitchell Starc scripted history under lights at the Gabba on Thursday, overtaking Pakistan great Wasim Akram during the ongoing Ashes clash against England.

Starc became the highest wicket-taker among left-arm pacers in Test cricket, leaving behind the legendary Pakistani pacer.

He crossed the landmark by dismissing Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope and Harry Brook in a devastating opening spell of the day-night Test, taking his tally to 415 wickets in just 102 matches.

Akram had previously held the record with 414 wickets from 104 Tests.

Most Wickets in Test cricket by Left-Arm Pacers:

Player	Team	Matches	Wickets
Mitchell Starc	Australia	102	415*
Wasim Akram	Pakistan	104	414
Chaminda Vaas	Sri Lanka	111	355
Trent Boult	New Zealand	78	317
Mitchell Johnson	Australia	73	313

Moreover, Starc also strengthened his remarkable dominance in pink-ball cricket.

He now has 84 wickets in day-night Tests, the most by any bowler globally, and has become the first player in Test history to claim more than 20 wickets against a single opponent in pink-ball matches.

Australia went into the match with an all-pace bowling attack, resting veteran spinner Nathan Lyon for only the second time at home since 2012, while regular skipper Pat Cummins was unavailable for the contest.

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Despite the early jolts, England responded through a measured recovery led by opener Zak Crawley, who top-scored with 76 from 93 balls, striking 11 boundaries.

Joe Root anchored the innings with a composed unbeaten 88, while Brook added a brisk 31 before becoming Starc’s third victim of the day.

At the time of filing, England were 240-6, with Root and Will Jacks at the crease.

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