Table of Contents
Mitchell Starc, the highest-paid player in IPL history, silenced his critics with a match-winning bowling performance against Mumbai Indians (MI) on Friday night. The Australian pacer, returning to the IPL after a break, had come under scrutiny for his initial inconsistency. However, his four-wicket haul for just 33 runs proved decisive in Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) first win at the Wankhede Stadium since 2012.
KKR chased down a modest target of 170 runs, with Starc playing a pivotal role. After a slow start to the season with no wickets in his first two matches, Starc found his rhythm, turning the tide of the match with his crucial wickets.
Venkatesh Iyer’s hilarious post-match inquiry from Mitchell Starc
Venkatesh Iyer, awarded Player of the Match for his brilliant fifty, shared a lighthearted moment with Starc during the post-match presentation. Iyer jokingly asked Starc, “Mitch, very well bowled, but I have to ask you, where were you hiding Alyssa Healy (Starc’s wife) all this while?”
Also WATCH: Mitchell Starc cleans up Gerald Coetzee with a fierce yorker in MI vs KKR match | IPL 2024
Alyssa Healy: Starc’s Lucky Charm
The answer revealed a heartwarming twist. Alyssa Healy, the captain of the Australian women’s cricket team, was spotted cheering for her husband at the Wankhede, sporting a KKR jersey. Her presence seemingly brought Starc the luck he needed to silence his critics.
Alyssa Healy supporting KKR 💜 pic.twitter.com/hzCjEpSbim
— Tyson (@tyson18__) May 3, 2024
“She’s been at home because she’s been on the road for a while so now she’s here but she stayed till the end so hopefully that’s a good sign,” Starc replied.
18.1 – SIX
18.2 – OUTAlysa Healy’s reaction sums up the game 😁#MIvsKKR #VonSchitzenpants pic.twitter.com/WPyy9zOzso
— Abrar Ahmad (@mabrarjaffar) May 3, 2024
The left-arm pacer also revealed that he’d been working on improvements after a slow start. “I was watching a little bit of video and talking to a few people, trying to change a few things,” he added. “Nice to get a few [wickets] in the right areas tonight with a bit of rhythm and close out the game.”