Starc Shrugs Off Doubts with Explosive Spell, Fuels KKR Playoff Push

At the Wankhede on Friday, with Mumbai Indians needing 32 from 12 balls, Tim David smacked Mitchell Starc for a six off the first ball of his last spell.

Since he hadn't been particularly motivating in the 2024 Indian Premier League, it made the Kolkata Knight Riders camp race. Despite having lost over 50 wickets and bowling at an economy of nearly 12 runs per over with just seven wickets, his record as one of the most feared fast bowlers in cricket history is not justified.

His spouse, Alyssa Healy, the captain of Australia's women's cricket team, joined him prior to the play, pouted in the stands as the cameras focused on her.

However, Starc is capable of gathering his ideas and inspiring himself. "My age is 34. I've engaged in a lot of cricket play. After his four-for-33 performance against the Mumbai Indians, which included three wickets in four balls, helped KKR end a 12-year curse, he declared, "I can pick myself up." "It's Twenty20 cricket; it's not as hard as cricket in Test matches."

With the next delivery, the left-arm pacer left the opposing camp stunned as David smacked his slower full toss straight into the deep hands of Shreyas Iyer. After taking the final wicket of Gerald Coetzee with a yorker, the usually reserved Starc lost control of his emotions and let out a shout, his fists clinched and his eyes popping.

The Knight Riders' victory at the Wankhede was their first since 2012. So, maybe, perhaps a little bit more there, Starc said.

With the 24-run win, KKR is now just a win away from securing a postseason berth; a victory over the Lucknow Super Giants on Sunday would virtually guarantee that they would make it.

Though Starc would not divulge information, he couldn't help but wonder about the tag of the most expensive player, at Rs 24.75 crore. He grinned and joked, "I didn't set my price tag," at the press conference.

"Not every bowler aiming for a run is me. That's just the way things are. The truth is that we are playing excellent cricket and are ranked second on the points table.

The management of the Knights' team has been helpful. However, it had been discussed whether he was saving his best for the World Cup that takes place in a month. Michael Clarke, the former captain of Australia, defended Starc on television, saying, "He is the most professional and would give his best for any side he plays."

The manner in which Starc adapted to the wicket's two paces on Friday was a testament to his poise and skill. It's about evaluating the circumstances following the opening innings. The wicket and the lengths that were most difficult to confront were mentioned by the hitters who fell off during that first innings. That gave us the idea for our bowling strategy," Starc remarked.

With his focus and dedication, Starc has been the most professional player for the KKR. He is always willing to lend a helping hand to the younger players because he is the only reliable pacer on the team. "I'm happy to answer any questions people may have, but I'm not there to tell them what to do," Perhaps something can be inferred from Harshit Rana and Vaibhav Arora's successes.

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