Australian bowler Mitchell Starc clarified the reason behind his absence from the match against Punjab Kings in the IPL 2024 season. Starc explained that he sustained an injury to his bowling hand’s follow-through during a previous game in the ongoing T20 tournament.
Having been acquired for a significant sum of Rs 24.5 crore in the auction last December, Starc’s form had been below expectations in this year’s IPL. Despite this, his non-participation against Punjab Kings at Eden Gardens in Kolkata was solely due to a finger injury sustained in the previous match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Regulations prevented him from taking the field with finger tape, hence forcing him to sit out the game.
I Do It On The Same Leg – Mitchell Starc
During an episode of the Willow Talk podcast, Mitchell Starc discussed his absence from the IPL 2024 match against Punjab Kings, citing an injury to his finger sustained in the preceding game. The experienced fast bowler explained that he had injured his finger while executing his follow-through and was consequently unable to participate in the subsequent match due to the severity of the injury.
“I still do. I did it in the IPL. I missed the game against the Punjab Kings because of the game before I’d split it. No, I do it on the same leg. So I do my left hand on my left foot in my follow-through,” Starc said.
Batting first after being put in by the opposition, the Knight Riders posted their second-highest total in IPL history. Openers Phil Salt and Sunil Narine set the tone with aggressive innings, scoring 75 runs off 37 balls and 71 runs off 32 balls, respectively. Their partnership of 138 runs laid a strong foundation. Contributions from Venkatesh Iyer (39), Andre Russell (24), and Shreyas Iyer (28) further bolstered the home team’s imposing total.
In reply, Punjab Kings achieved a stunning victory by chasing down Kolkata Knight Riders’ formidable total in just 18.4 overs. Jonny Bairstow led the charge with an outstanding unbeaten century, while Prabhsimran Singh (54 runs off 20 balls) and Shashank Singh (68* runs off 28 balls) provided crucial support. The match witnessed a record-breaking 42 sixes, highlighting the explosive nature of the IPL 2024 encounter.
Meanwhile, Mitchell Starc, the 34-year-old left-arm pacer, played a pivotal role in Kolkata Knight Riders’ significant win, their first IPL victory in a decade. Starc finished the IPL 2024 season with 17 wickets from 14 matches, boasting an average of 26.11 and an economy rate of 10.61. His impactful performances earned him the distinction of being the first player to win the Player of the Match award twice during the IPL playoffs.
