England pacer Josh Tongue becomes 1st to take 50 wickets in WTC 2025-27, overtakes Mitchell Starc

England pacers Josh Tongue, Ollie Robinson preyed on a timid Pakistan batting display on Day 1 of the Test series opener at Headingley, Leeds. Tongue and Robinson bagged fifers to bowl out the visitors for 171 in 48.1 overs. The fifer helped Tongue surpass Australia’s Mitchell Starc and become the first bowler to take 50 wickets in the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27 cycle.

Playing in his 10th Test this WTC cycle, Tongue has claimed 50 wickets at an average of 27.18, including three five-wicket hauls. He is closely followed by Starc with 58 wickets from nine Tests at 19.45 apiece. Starc has three fifers as well.

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For India, the leading wicket-taker in ongoing WTC campaign is their workhorse Mohammed Siraj. From 10 Tests, he has bagged 41 wickets at an average of 26.68, featuring two fifers. Siraj went past former England captain Ben Stokes with two wickets in the Galle Test win over Sri Lanka.

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Tongue’s wickets on Day 1 

Tongue's first wicket was Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq who scored 42 runs from 74 balls. He broke the third-wicket partnership between the opener and Abdullah Shafique for 91 runs. Tongue knocked over stand-in skipper Salman Agha, trapped wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan and Ali Usman in front of the stumps off consecutive deliveries. Then, he completed his fifer by knocking over Mohammad Abbas. 

Abbas and Ali got rid of the English openers but the hosts were able to post 112/2 from 25 overs before the end of Day 1's play. Jordan Cox (23*) and skipper Joe Root (37*) were in the middle, reducing the deficit to just 59 runs.

Tongue, Robinson cut the ball in half

As Tongue and Robinson claimed five wickets each, there was a unique celebration as England players walked off the field after bowling out Pakistan. The ball was cut in half. Tongue replaced how the idea came into existence. 

“Robbo said we can split the ball in half,” Tongue told Test Match Special. “The groundstaff have kindly done that.

“It’s the first time I’ve seen that happen. I’m sure I’ll be putting that up somewhere.”

This is the first instance of two English pacers taking a fifer each in an innings of a Test match since 1998. Andy Caddick and Angus Fraser had done it against West Indies in Port of Spain.