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Mitchell Starc shared insights into his absence from Australia’s starting lineup against Afghanistan during the T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 match. He mentioned that the decision appeared to hinge on the pitch conditions in Kingstown, which favored spin bowling.
Australia’s strategists opted to leave out Mitchell Starc for the crucial encounter against Afghanistan, opting instead for left-arm spinner Ashton Agar. Despite Agar’s economical spell, Australia faced a setback, losing the match by 21 runs while pursuing a target of 148.
Under the leadership of Mitchell Marsh, the team subsequently encountered defeat against eventual champions India in their final Super Eight fixture. This string of losses led to Australia’s premature exit from the tournament, marking a disappointment akin to their failure to advance past the group stage in the 2022 edition held in their home country.
Two World Cups In A Row – Mitchell Starc
In a candid discussion on the Willow Talk podcast, Mitchell Starc reflected on Australia’s defeat, pinpointing errors in their fielding and batting as pivotal factors. He underscored Afghanistan’s adept assessment of the conditions, attributing their superior understanding as the decisive element in Australia’s loss during the match.
“No – two World Cups in a row. Just the match-up, they saw previous games on that ground in St Vincent with spin playing a part and obviously Ash and the left-arm enticing them to make a change. I think Ash bowled pretty well in the power play. They probably played the spin quite well and batting first probably assessed the conditions a little bit better than we did and had a couple of stumbles that in the end cost us the game,” Starc said.
Australia’s team management opted for a rotational strategy with their bowlers throughout the ICC tournament. Mitchell Starc notably claimed five wickets across five matches, averaging 31.60 with an economy rate of 8.78. His best bowling performance yielded figures of 2/20. Notably, in a match against the Rohit Sharma-led team, he conceded 45 runs in his allotted four overs.
It’s noteworthy that under the leadership of Pat Cummins, Australia secured victories in both the ODI World Cup in 2023 and the World Test Championship (WTC) final last year. Mitchell Starc played a pivotal role in both triumphs, contributing significantly as a key member of the Australian squad.
We Finished Ahead Of England – Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc voiced his frustration regarding Australia’s challenges with scheduling and preparation during the T20 World Cup. He highlighted that pre-seeding affected their readiness significantly, citing logistical hurdles like delayed flights and extensive travel times between venues as major issues impacting their preparation.
“We finished ahead of England and end up where we were pre-seeded as the second side. All of a sudden, you’re in a different group. The argument was it was because it was so hard to get around the West Indies, so fans knew where your team was playing.”
“So then why don’t you have the chock-a-block tournament at the front … and then spread it out at the back end? We had the two night games and the third was a day game, so it wasn’t the best preparation.”
Mitchell Starc is set to feature prominently for Australia in their upcoming series against England scheduled for September. The series will comprise three T20I matches taking place from September 11 to 15, followed by a five-match ODI series scheduled from September 19 to 29.
