Mitchell Starc Celebrates Birthday in Style as he Completes 700 Wickets in International Cricket

Mitchell Starc celebrated his 35th birthday in the grandest way possible. The Australian speedster etched his name in history by reaching 700 international wickets. Playing against Sri Lanka in Galle, Starc dismissed Dimuth Karunaratne early in the innings, marking his entry into an elite club of bowlers.

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Before the Test series began, Starc had 699 wickets across formats. He needed just one more to achieve the historic feat. The left-arm pacer now joins an exclusive list of just 18 bowlers in cricket history to achieve this milestone.

Fourth Australian to 700 Wickets

Starc becomes only the fourth Australian bowler to reach the 700-wicket landmark. The legendary Shane Warne leads the pack with 1001 wickets, followed by Glenn McGrath (949) and Brett Lee (718). Starc has now firmly cemented his place among Australia’s greatest bowlers.

Here’s how the top Australian wicket-takers stand:

• Shane Warne – 1001 wickets
• Glenn McGrath – 949 wickets
• Brett Lee – 718 wickets
• Mitchell Starc – 700* wickets

With plenty of cricket left in him, Starc could soon surpass Lee’s tally.

A Rare Feat in Modern Cricket

In the current era, very few bowlers have managed such numbers. Starc becomes only the second active cricketer to achieve 700 wickets, joining Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan. Among Indian players, Ravindra Jadeja is the closest, standing at 597 wickets.

Starc’s international tally now stands at:

• Test Wickets – 377
• ODI Wickets – 244
• T20I Wickets – 79

Australia’s Dominant Batting Display

Australia’s batters put up a commanding performance in the first Test against Sri Lanka. The visitors posted a mammoth 654/6 before declaring their innings. Usman Khawaja, who struggled against India, returned to form with a stunning 232-run knock.

Skipper Steve Smith continued his sublime form, smashing 141 runs. Debutant Josh Inglis made an immediate impact, scoring a brilliant 102. His innings made him the second-fastest Australian to hit a century on Test debut.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, had a disastrous start. They lost three wickets for just 30 runs, including Karunaratne’s crucial wicket to Starc. The hosts now face an uphill battle to stay in the game.

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