Mitchell Starc: Australia's Left-Arm Express — 2019 CWC Player of Tournament, 300+ Test Wickets
Mitchell Aaron Starc is an Australian left-arm fast bowler born on 30 January 1990 in Baulkham Hills, New South Wales. He was the fastest to take 200 ODI wickets until Rashid Khan broke that record. He was named Player of the Tournament at the 2015 ICC Cricket World Cup and the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup — the first player to win that award twice. He has taken 300+ Test wickets and is one of the most destructive left-arm fast bowlers in history, known for late inswing, yorkers, and an ability to bowl with extreme pace at the death.
Mitchell Starc was born on 30 January 1990 in Baulkham Hills, New South Wales. He made his Test debut in December 2011 against New Zealand at the Gabba and his ODI debut in September 2010. He is a left-arm fast bowler who bowls at sustained speeds of 145-155 km/h, with an exceptional ability to generate late inswing at pace and bowl toe-crushing yorkers in the death overs. He is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous limited-overs fast bowlers in history.
Player of the Tournament — Two ICC World Cups
Mitchell Starc is the only player to win the ICC Cricket World Cup Player of the Tournament award twice. At the 2015 CWC in Australia/New Zealand, he took 22 wickets at 10.18 — the most by any bowler in a single World Cup tournament at that point. At the 2019 CWC in England, he took 27 wickets at 18.59 — the most by any bowler in the 2019 tournament. His 2019 total of 27 remains among the highest wicket tallies in a single ODI World Cup. He previously held the record for the fastest bowler to 200 ODI wickets — a record later broken by Rashid Khan.
Test Cricket and the 2023 WTC Final
Starc has taken 300+ Test wickets across 80+ Tests at an average under 28. He played a key role in Australia's victory in the ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 Final at The Oval in June 2023 — Australia beat India by 209 runs. He is Australia's most capped left-arm fast bowler in the modern era. He returned to the IPL for the first time in years at the 2024 IPL auction, becoming the most expensive buy in IPL auction history at that time (Kolkata Knight Riders, ₹24.75 crore).
Frequently asked questions
What records does Mitchell Starc hold in ICC World Cup history?
Mitchell Starc is the only player to win the ICC Cricket World Cup Player of the Tournament award twice — at the 2015 CWC (22 wickets at 10.18) and the 2019 CWC (27 wickets at 18.59, the most in the 2019 tournament). He previously held the record for fastest bowler to 200 ODI wickets before it was broken by Rashid Khan. He has 300+ Test wickets in 80+ Tests.