Australian Summer Kicks off with Starc’s fiery spell against Pakistan

Australian seamer Mitchell Starc marked another milestone in his illustrious career, achieving 100 ODI wickets on home soil during a fiery spell against Pakistan at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Monday. The experienced pacer rattled the Pakistan lineup with a remarkable display of pace and control, securing his place among Australian greats. Meanwhile, Starc also shared his disappointment regarding a lack of communication from his IPL franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who released him ahead of the 2025 season despite his contributions to their 2024 title win.

Starc’s spell wreaks havoc against Pakistan

In the first ODI against Pakistan, Starc delivered a spectacular new-ball performance that immediately placed Pakistan under pressure. His pace and precision paid dividends as he dismissed openers Saim Ayyub and Abdullah Shafique in quick succession. Starc’s first victim, debutant Ayyub, fell after getting an inside edge back onto his stumps in Starc’s second over. Not stopping there, he removed Shafique shortly after, as the batter inadvertently edged the ball to wicketkeeper Josh Inglis while attempting to leave the delivery. Starc later shattered the stumps of Shaheen Afridi, finishing his spell with figures of 3/33 in ten overs.

This outstanding performance helped Starc reach the coveted milestone of 100 ODI wickets in Australia, making him only the sixth Australian bowler to achieve this feat. He joined the elite company of legends Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Craig McDermott, and Steve Waugh. With Pakistan struggling to maintain momentum, Starc’s impressive spell left them floundering after losing both openers at 24 runs, putting Australia in a strong position early in the game.

Starc gets the ball rolling! #AUSvPAK pic.twitter.com/CYXcVECkj1

— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 4, 2024

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KKR exit leave Starc disappointed despite stellar IPL season

Despite his success on the international front, Starc’s IPL career encountered a setback after KKR decided not to retain him for the 2025 season. The seamer expressed frustration over the lack of communication from the KKR management, as he was not informed of his release. The IPL retention policy now allows franchises to retain up to six players, leading KKR to secure the services of Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh, Ramandeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Varun Chakravarthy. Starc and winning captain Shreyas Iyer were among those released, a decision that surprised fans given Starc’s pivotal role in KKR’s 2024 title win.

Reflecting on the abrupt decision, Starc stated, “I still haven’t heard from them. It is what it is, that’s franchise cricket.” Despite the release, his contributions were memorable: acquired for a record INR 24.75 crore, Starc played a crucial role in KKR’s championship run, claiming 17 vital wickets, including match-winning performances in the playoffs and final against Sunrisers Hyderabad. KKR’s CEO Venky Mysore acknowledged the challenge of retention decisions following a title win, noting the difficulty of maintaining a champion squad under the new guidelines.