Veteran Australia pacer Mitchell Starc has said that his performances have been below par in the 2023 World Cup, unlike the previous two editions as well. However, he hopes to make an impact as Australia remain two wins away from clinching the trophy again. Starc, who finished as the highest wicket-taker in the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, has managed only 10 wickets in 8 matches in this World Cup so far, averaging a dismal 43.90 as well.
Speaking about the conditions in India, Starc said as quoted by cricket.com.au: “Speed is not the be-all and end-all over here in India as well. How you go about that tactically, and whether it’s variations or what time you bowl through a game, or whether you win or lose a toss (can affect potency). I certainly haven’t been at the level that I would have liked. I certainly take some (responsibility) on myself there that, I’m not to the same level as the last two World Cups anyway. But now there’s a chance at the pointy end to make the biggest impact.”
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However, Australia rested him for the match against Bangladesh after a poor performance against Afghanistan at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. He conceded 70 runs in 9 overs in Mumbai for only 1 wicket. Starc also added that two new balls along with batting-friendly wickets have made it tough for the bowlers as well.
“Certainly bowling first on particular wickets, the new ball, with two fielders out, has almost sometimes been the hardest time to bowl. We get a bit of an understanding of the wickets whilst the game goes on and whether they slow up or the ball gets softer. That’s not a sob story – that’s the nature of one-day cricket, and at the minute you’ve got two brand new balls on flat wickets. I think that’s the nature of the World Cup. If you look at the runs scored, or certainly the centuries scored as opposed to five-wicket (hauls) taken, the ratio is heavily skewed but that’s the nature of the World Cup, certainly on the nature of the wickets over here,” Mitchell Starc concluded.
