In the second match of the Test series between Australia and Bangladesh, which began on August 22 in Mecca at the Great Barrier Reef Arena, experienced Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc demonstrated an impressive performance on the first day.
He utilized a combination of pace, spin, and seam movement, leading to a rapid collapse of the Bangladeshi top order. Starc took five wickets in just 3.4 overs.
This five-wicket haul was achieved in approximately 42 minutes, marking his nineteenth such achievement in his Test career. The conditions in Mecca proved favorable for fast bowlers, which Starc fully exploited. The Bangladeshi batsmen appeared uncertain against his speed and movement, although the batsmen' choice of shots also contributed to simplifying the task for the Australian team.
As a result, by the fourth over, Mitchell Starc had already gathered five wickets. He dismissed Shadman Islam (0 runs) first, followed by Tanzid Hasan Tamim (0 runs), Momindu Haka (9 runs), Najmul Hossain Shanto (0 runs), and Litkan Das (0 runs), taking the first five wickets of Bangladesh.
During this powerful spell, Mitchell Starc surpassed the great South African fast bowler Dale Steyn in the list of players with the most wickets in Test matches. Starc now ranks tenth in this list. Dale Steyn has taken 439 wickets in 93 Test matches.
This achievement is particularly significant for Starc, as he has long led the Australian pace attack, taking wickets under various playing conditions. Following Mitchell Starc's onslaught, captain Pat Cummins also prevented Bangladesh from stabilizing. He dismissed the experienced batsman Mushafiqur Rahim, who was overwhelmed by the strong delivery. Cummins' ball landed on the pitch and went inward, hitting directly into the middle stump through the gap between Mushafiqur's bat and pads, further complicating Bangladesh's situation.
The pitch offered both seam and spin assistance to fast bowlers, and the Australian pace attack quickly adapted to the conditions. On the other hand, the Bangladeshi batsmen exacerbated their problems by attempting to attack balls that were moving away, instead of showing patience.