Race continues for Saqlain's ODI record

The hamstring injury suffered by India seamer Mohammed Shami just days before the start of this Victoria Bitter ODI series has again put Australia's Mitchell Starc in prime position to break one of the longest-standing records in one-day cricket.

In September, cricket.com.au reported that both Starc and Shami were on track to break the 18-year-old record of legendary spinner Saqlain Mushtaq for the fastest player to reach 100 ODI wickets, a mark of 53 matches the Pakistani great set against Sri Lanka in 1997.

Starc and Shami were set to go head-to-head for the record during this current series, but Starc's absence due to injury appeared to have handed Shami a chance to make history for himself.

Having missed the bulk of 2015 due to injury, Shami arrived in Australia last week needing 13 wickets in the five-match series to bring up his century. But the 25-year-old never got the chance, sent home on Saturday with a hamstring injury and ensuring the chase for Saqlain's record will continue.

The pioneering Pakistan tweaker, who finished his career in 2003 with 288 wickets from 169 matches, has the distinction of being the fastest in ODIs to the 100, 150, 200 and 250 wicket milestones.

And with the rapid evolution of the one-day game in recent years, Saqlain's milestone records for 100, 150 and 200 wickets are outliers in the history books as the only ones set last century. 

WATCH: Highlights from Australia's win over India in Brisbane

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

The presence of South African Hashim Amla in the list of run milestones replicates the dominance of Saqlain in the bowling records; the Proteas star was the quickest to every milestone between 2000 and 6000 runs and is on track to surpass the records for 7000 and 8000 currently held by teammate AB de Villiers.

Starc (currently with 90 wickets from 46 ODIs) and Shami (87 from 47) are still within touching distance of Saqlain's 53-game mark, but will have to wait until the middle of this year for another chance to break the record.

The Australian left-armer is set to be out of action until at least April due to foot and ankle problems, meaning the scheduled ODI tri-series against the West Indies and South Africa in June looms as his next opportunity to reach the 100 wicket milestone before Shami.

The Australians will play six group matches and potentially the tournament final in the Caribbean, giving Starc plenty of chances to take the 10 wickets he needs to reach his century.

India are scheduled to play three ODIs against Zimbabwe in June - although that tour is yet to be confirmed - but Shami would need to take an unlikely 13 wickets in three games to top the 100 mark.

New Zealand's Mitchell McClenaghan and South Africa's Imran Tahir are also outside chances to break Saqlain's record before Starc and Shami; McClenaghan will need to take 18 wickets in five matches against Pakistan and Australia in the coming weeks, while Tahir will need 16 wickets in the first three matches of February's series against England.

But just like Shami's withdrawal last week, there could well be another late twist in the chase to surpass Saqlain. 

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 

THE CONTENDERS

Mitchell Starc (Australia)

90 wickets from 46 matches

Needs 10 wickets in 6 matches to break Saqlain's record

Mohammed Shami (India)

87 wickets from 47 matches

Needs 13 wickets in 5 matches to break Saqlain's record

Imran Tahir (South Africa)

84 wickets from 49 matches

Needs 16 wickets in 3 matches to break Saqlain's record

Mitchell McClenaghan (New Zealand)

82 wickets from 47 matches

Needs 18 wickets in 5 matches to break Saqlain's record