KKR Vs SRH, IPL 2024 Qualifier 1: Mitchell Starc Justifying His Price Tag In The Playoffs

Mitchell Starc has taken 15 wickets for KKR this season in the 13 matches played so far. His teammates Andre Russell and Sunil Narine have also taken 15 wickets each in IPL 2024

Jagdish Yadav

Updated on: 21 May 2024 9:04 pm

Elated Mitchell Starc in KKR vs SRH Qualifier 1, IPL 2024. AP Photo

Kolkata Knight Riders' Mitchell Starc, second right, celebrates with teammates after the dismissal of Sunrisers Hyderabad's Travis Head, right, during the Indian Premier League qualifier cricket match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad in Ahmedabad. AP Photo/Ajit Solanki

Many questioned the hefty sum spent by the Kolkata Knight Riders' management on the Australian speedster Mitchell Starc who had not played any Indian Premier League (IPL) game for a considerable amount of time. (Match Blog | Scorecard)

But KKR believed in him and his abilities. He also showcased his superb bowling skills in the latter part of the league after leaking a lot of runs at the beginning.

Starc returned to the IPL after almost a decade and went for a whopping Rs 24.75 Crore in the mini auction in December last year. Cricket pundits criticised KKR management at that time and also questioned if Starc could ever justify his price tag.

Starc sets the tone for Qualifier 1 with a ripper! ??#IPLonJioCinema #TATAIPL #KKRvSRH #TATAIPLPlayoffs #IPLinBengali pic.twitter.com/3AJG5BvZwT
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) May 21, 2024

In the first qualifier of the IPL 2024 played on Tuesday, he removed Sunrisers Hyderabad's destructive opening batter and his compatriot Travis Head on the second delivery of the first over.

He was brought back into the attack in the fifth over and removed the young batters Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shahbaz Ahmed on successive deliveries to leave SRH reeling at 39/4 in five overs. In his three-over spell so far he has taken three wickets conceding 22 runs at an economy of 7.30.

Not a good day to be a Stump ??#IPLonJioCinema #TATAIPL #KKRvSRH #TATAIPLPlayoffs #MitchellStarc pic.twitter.com/9XoxrrdzMs
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) May 21, 2024

Starc has only missed a game for KKR this season due to a niggle otherwise he has featured in all of their fixtures. KKR's last two matches were washed out which gave the lanky pacer a much-needed break from the sport to come stronger in the virtual semifinal match on Tuesday.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Mohammed Siraj sits dejected as Kolkata Knight Riders celebrate their win in match 36 of Indian Premier League 2024 at Eden Gardens. - AP/Bikas Das

IPL 2024: Mitchell Starc Holds Nerve As KKR Break RCB Hearts With Dramatic One-Run Win

BY PTI

KKR is playing against SRH in Qualifier 1 of the IPL 2024. The winner of the match will secure a spot in the final, which will take place on Sunday, May 26, 2024. The loser will compete in Qualifier 2 against the winner of the Eliminator match between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on Friday.

He has taken 15 wickets for KKR this season in the 13 matches played so far. His teammates Andre Russell and Sunil Narine have also taken 15 wickets each in IPL 2024. Punjab Kings' Harshal Patel is leading the table with 24 wickets.