Starc rips through Bangladesh as Australia seize control in Mackay, second Test
Mitchell Starc ripped through Bangladesh's top and middle order as Australia reduced them to 5 for 12 in the second Test at Mackay on August 22, 2026, completing a five-wicket haul inside four overs. The left-arm quick's burst left Bangladesh reeling and elevated his Test wicket tally past Dale Steyn to 440, moving him into the top 10 of all-time Test wicket-takers.
Australia made an early attacking change when Pat Cummins replaced Josh Hazlewood, bringing himself on to bowl in the innings; Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Mushfiqur Rahim were among the Bangladesh batters who faced the new-ball period. Starc forced frequent movement and bounce, earlier registering figures of 3-2-4-4 in the spell before his rapid double strike. The match commentary noted Starc already holds the fastest Test five-for, achieved in Kingston in 2025 against West Indies when he took five wickets in a span of 15 deliveries. Courtney Walsh remains ahead on the all-time list with 519 Test wickets.
Litton Das was dismissed lbw to Starc after a review that overturned the on-field decision; umpire Kumar Dharmasena had initially shaken his head, Pat Cummins signalled for a review, UltraEdge showed a flat line with no bat involvement and ball-tracking returned three reds with impact hitting the leg stump. That decision produced Bangladesh's fourth duck of the innings and left them 5 down for 12. Starc's five-wicket haul was completed inside four overs of his spell.
A missed chance compounded Bangladesh's collapse when Beau Webster failed to hold a straightforward slip catch off a short, rising delivery from Starc to Litton Das; Das got a thick leading edge to third slip and Webster could not cling on. The dropped sitter allowed Das reprieve amid a sequence of tight bowling and pressure from the Australian attack.
Mominul Haque was also trapped by Starc, edging a very full delivery that swung away to wide of gully and into a diving Cameron Green, who took the catch inches above the ground. The third umpire checked the replay and ruled it a clean catch, completing the dismemberment of Bangladesh's top-order quartet of left-handers.
Earlier in the innings Pat Cummins' tactical bowling changes and Josh Hazlewood's probing lines troubled Mushfiqur Rahim; a confident lbw appeal against Rahim was turned down on the field and Cummins declined Hazlewood's request to review. On a fuller ball that jagged back with bounce, Rahim was struck on the back thigh and subsequent ball-tracking indicated the bounce would have carried the ball over the stumps.
In the latest over Hazlewood landed a hard-length delivery around the stumps to which Mushfiqur Rahim stayed still and defended, as Bangladesh remained under severe pressure at 5 for 12 in their reply to Australia.
