Mitchell Starc bowled one of the best fast-bowling spells in recent Test history on August 22, 2026, taking six wickets for 12 runs from ten overs in the second Test against Bangladesh in Mackay. Australia bowled Bangladesh out for 64 runs in 34 overs, the fourth lowest total in Bangladesh’s Test history.
Starc’s haul brought his career total to 440 Test wickets, surpassing Dale Steyn’s mark of 439 and putting him in sole possession of tenth place among Test wicket-takers.
Earlier in the series, during the first Test in Darwin, Mitchell Starc broke the record for the most wickets taken by a left-arm bowler in Test cricket, surpassing Rangana Herath.
Pat Cummins won the toss and elected to field on a Mackay pitch with good pace and carry. Mitchell Starc struck with the first delivery of the match, catching Shadman Islam at gully before a run was scored. Bangladesh never recovered from that initial punch, and were reduced to 35 for 6 by the end of the first session, with Mitchell Starc taking the brunt of the damage.
Among his six victims were Tanzid Hasan, who made 101 in Darwin in the first Test, and Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto, both of whom were dismissed without scoring. Shoriful Islam’s 14 runs were the biggest individual contribution in an innings that lasted only 34 overs.
How does Mitchell Starc five-wicket performance rank in Test history?
Mitchell Starc took his fifth wicket in 22 deliveries, the second-quickest five-wicket haul in Test cricket. The record he holds is his own, a 15-ball burst against the West Indies in 2025. Only a few of bowlers have ever taken five wickets in 22 balls in Test cricket.
Ernie Toshack did it in 19 balls against India in 1947, Stuart Broad took 19 balls against Australia in 2015, and Scott Boland did the same against England in 2021. Shane Watson achieved the feat in 21 balls against South Africa in 2011. Starc’s 22-ball effort puts him second on the list, with the top spot also his.
The sixth wicket, which brought his total to 6 for 12, came after 22 balls but was part of the same unbroken spell that had left Bangladesh in ruins before lunch.
What is the match situation following Bangladesh’s first innings?
As things stand, Australia has opened their reply to Bangladesh’s 64, reaching 50 for 3 in 10 overs. Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam both took early wickets to give Bangladesh a foothold in the match, keeping the game alive despite the stunning first-inning collapse.
The series background strengthens Australia’s position. Bangladesh won the first Test in Darwin by nine wickets, their first win on Australian soil.
Australia must win in Mackay to even the two-match series, and Starc’s six-wicket haul has put them in a great position entering into the final stages of the contest, with Bangladesh’s second innings remaining to play.
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