It was an emphatic return to form for the Australian international Mitchell Starc who managed to put up a dominant performance with the ball to give Kolkata Knight Riders the win in the final against Sunrisers Hyderabad by 8 wickets to claim the title at the M.A Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The left-arm pacer managed to strike in the powerplay once again and chipped in with two wickets in the first six overs to put KKR in front right from ball one. It was dominance that followed throughout the game as SRH did not have an inch to breathe under the emphatic show by KKR.
Speaking at the post-match presentation, Starc gave his initial thoughts after ending the 10-year wait for the title.
Starc said, “Great night for KKR. What a game, what a season. Probably the two most exciting teams in the final, it was a great final. We have had a fantastic squad of bowlers and batters, and our staff have been fantastic to get everyone peaking. We’ve been such a consistent side, with contributions from everyone”.
The Australian international revealed some of his concerns with the wicket mentioning that they weren’t too sure about how the track would turn out but credited the leadership of Shreyas Iyer for his management which gave them the best chance.
“We lost the toss and got to use the ball first. Having watched the match a few nights ago here, not really sure what the wicket was going to do. It was about adapting. Shreyas was fantastic with the way he used the bowlers and fields. Credits to him. The bowling unit showed all the skills”.
Starc also opened up on the criticism he had received during the start of the tournament with the record price tag not matching up to his performances. But the Aussie backed his experience to get him back to his best and he clearly delivered.
“There’s been jokes about the money. It’s been a long time since I have played the IPL. I am experienced, and that’s helped with all the expectations. Glad that I am experienced and older. It’s been a lot of fun. Full credit to the whole players and staff,” he concluded.
