SA vs AUS: Mitchell Starc scripts history in WTC Final, becomes first player in world to achieve THIS milestone

Australia's leading fast bowler Mitchell Starc has made history in the WTC final against South Africa by putting the Proteas under significant pressure, enabling Australia to set a target exceeding 250 runs despite being in a precarious position at 77/7 at one stage. Starc contributed a determined fifty allowing the reigning champions to establish a target of 207 runs ultimately setting a challenging target of 282 runs for South Africa.

Mitchell Starc has achieved the distinction of being the first player ever to score more than 40 runs in an innings as a No.9 batter or lower in an ICC tournament. The previous record was held by West Indies' Courtney Browne who set it during his innings in the 2004 Champions Trophy final against England.

Starc is now the second player alongside Shardul Thakur to have scored a fifty in an ICC final as a No.8 or lower batter.

Most runs by the number 9 or below batter in an ICC Final

Mitchell Starc - 58 runs vs South Africa (WTC 2025 Final)

Courtney Browne - 35 runs vs England (2004 Champions Trophy Final)

Ian Bradshaw - 34 runs vs England (2004 Champions Trophy Final)

Additionally, he recorded the highest runs as a batter in an ICC final at the No.9 position or below becoming the first player to achieve a half-century in this context. South Africa's Rory Kleinveldt previously held this record with 43 runs against England in the 2013 Champions Trophy semifinal.

Starc and Hazlewood have also broken the record set by legendary Australian fast bowlers Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson for the most runs scored for the 10th wicket in an ICC final. Their partnership of 59 runs marked the first instance of a last wicket partnership reaching 50 runs in an ICC tournament. Lillee and Thomson had previously managed a partnership of 41 runs against West Indies, which they ultimately lost.

This partnership is also the highest for the 10th wicket in an ICC event, surpassing the 59-run partnership between James Franklin and Jeetan Patel during the 2007 World Cup semifinal in Kingston.

Also read| Harbhajan Singh questions BCCI over Shreyas Iyer's snub, backs THIS 24-year-old to bat at no.3 in England Test series