Starc chasing 18-year-old record

Australian fast-bowler Mitchell Starc needs just 13 wickets to break a record that has stood for almost two decades, but it's possible he has just nine days left in which to do so.

Starc, the world's No.1 ranked ODI bowler, took two wickets in Australia's win over England on Thursday to take his career record to 87 wickets from 43 matches.

Highlights of Australia's win in the first ODI

The left-armer needs to take 13 wickets in his next nine games to become the fastest bowler to reach 100 ODI wickets and break the record of 53 matches set by Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq against Sri Lanka in 1997.

But the Australian isn't the only one rapidly closing in on a century of dismissals, meaning Starc will have to act fast if he's to be the man who breaks the 18-year drought.

India's Mohammed Shami, South Africa's Imran Tahir and New Zealand's Mitchell McClenaghan are also tracking to reach the 100 mark in 53 matches or less and it's the Indian who looms as the most likely threat to reach the milestone before Starc.

Shami, like Starc, is currently sitting on 87 ODI victims but has taken four more matches than the Australian to reach that total.

But with Australia to take a four-month break from ODI cricket following the end of current series with England on September 13, Shami could swoop in and take the record if Starc is unable to take the 13 wickets he needs against England in the next four matches.

Shami hasn't played any form of cricket since India's World Cup semi-final exit in Sydney in March, with the 25-year-old having undergone surgery on a knee injury he managed last Australian summer.

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Shami during India's World Cup campaign // Getty

Having missed India's recent Test tour of Sri Lanka, Shami is confident of returning for South Africa's tour of the sub-continent in October, which includes a five-match ODI series.

Should Shami be fit to play all five ODIs against the Proteas, his impressive strike rate suggests he's a chance to take the 13 wickets he needs to reach the 100 milestone and - if Starc falls short against England - be the man who breaks Mushtaq's record.

If Shami doesn't reach the mark against South Africa, he may do so in India's scheduled series against Pakistan in December, although that series is yet to be confirmed.

And if Shami and Starc are still short of both 100 wickets and 53 matches at the end of the year, the duo may go head-to-head in a chase to break the record in the five-match ODI series between Australia and India from January 12 to 23.

But by that point it's possible - although highly unlikely - that Saqlain's mark may have already been beaten.

Tahir, who has 77 wickets from 44 matches, needs 23 more scalps in eight matches to better Saqlain, and should edge closer to the record in the five-match series against India before the start of ODI leg of England's tour of South Africa in February.

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Tahir celebrates a wicket against NZ last month // Getty

McClenaghan needs 24 wickets from nine matches to surpass Saqlain, although the Black Caps don't play ODI cricket again until the start of their ODI series against Sri Lanka on Boxing Day, which will be followed by a three-match series against Pakistan in late January.

Whoever out of the quartet takes their 100th wicket first, it's likely that Saqlain's long-standing record won't stand for too much longer.

But with all four bowlers taking wickets with regular ease, the new record might not last for very long.

FASTEST TO 100 ODI WICKETS

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

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McClenaghan in England earlier this year // Getty

THE CONTENDERS

Mitchell Starc (Australia)
87 wickets from 43 matches
Needs 13 wickets in 9 matches to beat Saqlain's record

Mohammed Shami (India)
87 wickets from 47 matches
Needs 13 wickets in 5 matches to beat Saqlain's record

Imran Tahir (South Africa)
77 wickets from 44 matches
Needs 23 wickets in 8 matches to beat Saqlain's record

Mitchell McClenaghan (New Zealand)
76 wickets from 43 matches
Needs 24 wickets in 9 matches to beat Saqlain's record