Mitchell Starc Completes Five-Wicket Haul in Just 22 Balls

Mitchell Starc produced a sensational opening spell in the second Test in Mackay, tearing through Bangladesh’s top order to claim a five-wicket haul in just 22 balls.

Starc struck with the very first delivery of the match, dismissing Shadman Islam. Bowling full and angling the ball into middle before shaping it away, Starc squared up the batter, who closed the face of his bat and produced a leading edge that flew to Cameron Green at gully.

After a brief wait, Starc struck again in the third over. Tanzid Hasan edged a near-yorker straight to third slip, where Beau Webster completed the catch. The dismissal was briefly checked for a possible bump ball, but replays confirmed it was a clean catch.

Starc then removed Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto two balls later. Shanto was trapped lbw after the ball beat his inside edge and struck him on the front pad. He reviewed the decision, but ball-tracking showed the delivery clipping leg stump, leaving the on-field decision intact.

The left-arm quick continued his remarkable assault in the fifth over. Mominul Haque attempted to steer another full delivery towards the off side but found a thick edge. Green produced an outstanding low diving catch in the gully, giving Starc his fourth wicket.

Starc completed his five-wicket haul in the seventh over when Litton Das was trapped lbw. The original decision was not out, but Australia reviewed immediately. Replays showed that Litton had missed his attempted whip, with the ball striking him in line and tracking indicating that it would have smashed into the leg stump.

The successful review gave Starc his fifth wicket from just 22 balls, leaving Bangladesh in serious trouble and highlighting another devastating burst of fast bowling from the Australian quick.

Remarkably, despite the extraordinary speed of his five-wicket haul in Mackay, it was not the fastest five-wicket burst of Starc’s career. He had achieved an even quicker feat in Jamaica in 2025.