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Super Starc sets new world record

Paceman becomes the fastest man to 100 ODI wickets in an inspired start to Australia's first ODI in Colombo

Australia fast-bowler Mitchell Starc has broken a record that has stood for almost two decades, claiming his 100th one-day international wicket during Australia's opening one-day international against Sri Lanka in Colombo.

The left-armer secured a century of ODI dismissals in just his 52nd career match to break the long-standing mark of Pakistan's Saqlain Mushtaq as the fastest bowler to the milestone.

Starc entered the match with 98 wickets to his name and wasted no time making it 99, bowling Sri Lanka opener Kusal Perera with the fifth ball of the match.

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He had to wait until the 33rd over for No.100 but it came in fine style, with a diving catch from George Bailey sending Dhananjaya de Silva on his way for two.

Starc is also the fastest to 100 ODI wickets in terms of the number of balls bowled.

It took him just 2452 deliveries to reach triple figures, breaking Pakistan quick Shoaib Akhtar's previous record of 2707. 

Saqlain, who set the previous record of 53 matches in May 1997, finished his career with 288 wickets from 169 games and also has the distinction of being the fastest in ODIs to the 150, 200 and 250 wicket milestones.

And with the rapid evolution of the one-day game in recent years, Saqlain's milestone records for 150 and 200 wickets are now outliers in the history books as the only ones set last century.

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All other records for the fastest to each wicket-taking milestone were set since 2000, as were the marks for the fastest to each multiple of 1000 career runs. The exception is West Indian legend Sir Vivian Richards, who is an anomaly as one of four players to hold the mark for the fastest to score 1000 ODI runs, a record of 21 innings set in 1980 that was matched by Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott and Quinton de Kock this century.

It's the second ODI record Starc has broken since returning from injury for Australia's ODI tri-series campaign in the Caribbean in June, where he finished his 50th match with 98 career wickets, making him the game's most prolific wicket-taker after 50 games, topping the mark of 95 set by New Zealand's Shane Bond.

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Starc's 100th career wicket has been a long time coming, the left-armer's recent run of injuries meaning he's played just 11 of Australia's 22 ODIs since his player-of-the-tournament performance in the Cricket World Cup last year.

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Starc finished the World Cup with 83 wickets from 41 matches and looked set to break through the 100-wicket barrier either during Australia's ODI tour of the UK last year or the eight ODIs they played over the 2015-16 season.

But his long lay-off due to ankle and foot surgery briefly opened the door for India's Mohammad Shami - who finished the World Cup with 87 wickets from 47 matches - to swoop in and claim Saqlain's record for himself.

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But the right-armer was cut down by injury as well and hasn't played an ODI for his country since India's World Cup semi-final exit in March last year, which gave Starc a free run at the record on this Qantas Tour of the Caribbean.

But the left-armer didn't have things all his own way during the series; he was rested for two of Australia's preliminary matches and the washed out match against South Africa at Kensington Oval meant his games played tally increased by one even though he bowled just a single over.

He had another chance to break the record in the tri-series final in Barbados, but went wicket-less in Australia's comprehensive victory.

It continues Starc's outstanding form since arriving in Sri Lanka, where he was Australia's standout player in the 3-0 series defeat, claiming 24 wickets.

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His haul was the most ever by any Australian fast bowler in a three-Test series and also saw him top the list of the most successful visiting pacemen for a three-Test series in Asia, surpassing New Zealand's Sir Richard Hadlee, who took 23 wickets in Sri Lanka in 1984.

Additionally, Starc's 24 wickets came at a better strike-rate (25.80) than any bowler – pace or spin – to have taken 20 wickets in a series in Asia.

Starc claimed his 100th Test wicket in the second match of the series during his 11-wicket haul – the first 10-wicket plus return of his career – as he set about building an imposing record in whites to match the stunning pace he has set in ODI colours.

FASTEST TO 100 ODI WICKETS 

Mitchell Starc (Australia): 100 wickets in 52 matches

Saqlain Mushtaq (Pakistan): 100 wickets in 53 matches 

Shane Bond (New Zealand): 100 wickets in 54 matches 

Brett Lee (Australia): 100 wickets in 55 matches 

Imran Tahir (South Africa): 100 wickets in 58 matches