IPL 2024
“The ball of the tournament” – Aakash Chopra on Mitchell Starc’s delivery to dismiss Abhishek Sharma
By SMCS - May 27, 2024 11:26 am
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Veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has applauded Mitchell Starc for delivering a match-defining spell in the Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) IPL 2024 final win against the SunRisers Hyderabad. He termed his delivery to dismiss Abhishek Sharma the ball of the tournament as well. Starc registered figures of 2/14 in three overs as KKR bowled SRH out for 113 after on Sunday, May 26. KKR then reached the target with eight wickets and 57 deliveries to spare.

Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc cleaned up Abhishek Sharma with a magic delivery

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, “Hyderabad won the toss and batted first. I feel at times you get obsessed with your strength or weakness. In my opinion, chasing was a better option. It was probably in the first qualifier and now as well. However, you decided to bat first because the batting has otherwise been good this season. However, when Mitchell Starc comes, the ball he bowled to Abhishek Sharma, the ball of the tournament, without a shadow of doubt. It pitched almost on middle and leg and went and hit the top of off, and Abhishek Sharma was dismissed at the start. Vaibhav Arora came from the other end and got Travis Head out for zero. It was over.”

“Then this team did not have that much life. If we see from their angle, this has been the special thing in this tournament that if the openers fire, it works out. It’s incredible if both fire, 150 is chased in 10 overs. If one fires, then also incredible but if both don’t fire, the team crashes, and that’s what happened,” he further added.

Mitchell Starc
Mitchell Starc drew the first blood

However, Aakash Chopra also stated that SRH were overly dependent on their two openers whereas Arora had Head caught behind for a golden duck after Starc bowled Abhishek for a five-ball two as well. None of the SRH batters played a steady knock after that, with Pat Cummins top-scoring with a 19-ball 24. Aakash Chopra also praised Mitchell Starc for proving his worth at the business end of the tournament as well.

“Rahul Tripathi got out, that was the second wicket Starc took, and the catch was also taken by the best fielder of the tournament in my opinion, that was Ramandeep Singh. Ultimately, you will say that why there won’t be a discussion when so much money was spent. The discussions at the start were for the wrong reasons. The discussion now will be that he is worth every single penny. Money is just a number in the end when you have a lot of money to spend. So if you can get Mitchell Starc, and he turns it on on the big night. He was absolutely outstanding,” Aakash Chopra concluded.