Mitchell Starc's record-breaking price tag in the Indian Premier League (IPL) initially raised eyebrows, but the Australian all-rounder has silenced the critics with a stellar performance that culminated in Kolkata Knight Riders' third IPL title.
Starc, the most expensive cricketer in IPL history, was named Player of the Match in the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad, taking 2-14 and bowling opener Abhishek Sharma with an unplayable delivery that experts hailed as the tournament's best.
His performance followed on from his brilliant semi-final, where he claimed three wickets and dismissed Australia teammate Travis Head with the second ball.
Starc's stunning return to form in the IPL burnishes his record in big matches and comes just days before the T20 World Cup begins in the United States and the Caribbean. The 34-year-old took three wickets in the final of last year's 50-over World Cup against hosts India and will likely be crucial to Australia's hopes of becoming the first nation to hold cricket's three global trophies in tests, ODIs, and T20s.
Kolkata's hefty bid for Starc during the IPL auctions stunned the cricket world late last year, but it now appears to have been a masterstroke. They may have to fork out more to retain his services in 2025.
Hyderabad captain Pat Cummins will no doubt be happier playing with Starc for Australia than against him in the IPL. "I thought they bowled fantastically," Cummins said after Hyderabad were skittled for 113. "Unfortunately, my old mate Starcy turned it on again."
Tags: #IndianPremierLeague, #Twenty20, #IPL, #Cricket, #MitchellStarc
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