Mitchell Starc proved his worth and justified his hefty price tag in the IPL 2024 final. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) acquired him for an astonishing Rs 24.75 crores, and he delivered a match-winning performance against the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Sunday, May 26. Starc’s brilliant bowling spell rattled SRH’s top order, setting the stage for KKR’s dominance in the final.

Starc’s Impact in the First Over

In the first over of the match, Starc showcased his big-match temperament by clean-bowling the in-form Abhishek Sharma. The young opener, who had been in stellar form throughout the season, was undone by a delivery that nipped away treacherously to hit the off-stump. Sharma, who had scored 484 runs in the tournament with an impressive strike rate of 204.21, was dismissed for just two runs.

See Also: Has Starc delivered the ball of IPL 2024? Have a look!

From Struggles to Dominance

Starc had a rocky start to the IPL 2024 season. However, he turned his fortunes around with a spectacular performance against Mumbai Indians in match 54. This resurgence carried into the knockout stages, where he delivered a match-winning spell against SRH in Qualifier 1, finishing with figures of 3/34.

Key Wickets in the Final

Starc struck again in the fifth over, dismissing Rahul Tripathi, who had been a crucial player for SRH in their Qualifier 2 victory over Rajasthan Royals. Tripathi’s dismissal was a significant blow to SRH, as he had been one of their most reliable performers in high-pressure situations.

Vaibhav Arora’s Contribution

Vaibhav Arora, who bowled the second over of the match, complemented Starc’s efforts by dismissing Travis Head for a duck. This early wicket further compounded SRH’s problems, leaving them struggling at the start of their innings.

Fans’ Reactions to Starc’s Performance

Cricket fans and enthusiasts used social media to express their admiration for Starc’s breathtaking spell. His ability to deliver in high-stakes matches drew widespread acclaim, with many praising his skill and composure under pressure.

The biggest disrespect to Starc’s career is they compared him with Bumrah. pic.twitter.com/zTMYOaOOR1

— TukTuk Academy (@TukTuk_Academy) May 26, 2024

Starc fooled everyone to believe he is a Dinda Academy bowler until the Knockouts arrived 💀 pic.twitter.com/lBSb3upnvQ

— Dinda Academy (@academy_dinda) May 26, 2024

The man of big matches, MitcHELL Starc 🔥 pic.twitter.com/e1pJQaucYc

— Out Of Context Cricket (@GemsOfCricket) May 26, 2024

Everyone called Gautam Gambhir a mad man but MitcHELL Starc proved everyone wrong ❌

Ball of the IPL 🔥🔥

Congratulations KKR 🏆 pic.twitter.com/ZzSPQaEjCh

— Saurabh kumar (@Saurabhk0096) May 26, 2024

You laughed at Gautam Gambhir and Mitchell Starc !!

They laughing at you now🦁🔥 pic.twitter.com/4Q332KXjzN

— कट्टर KKR समर्थक 🦁🇮🇳 ™ (@KKRWeRule) May 26, 2024

at this point starc ko aur paise dene padenge

— vishal dayama (@VishalDayama) May 26, 2024

Mitchell Starc Be Like 🤣#KKRvsSRH みつ結婚 #IPLfinale #KavyaMaran pic.twitter.com/JxLp7QJ1Jd

— 🧢1⃣0⃣ (@CapXSid) May 26, 2024

Mitchell Starc has just bowled the ball of the tournament !!

Undoubtedly the best delivery of this season!! No debates allowed!!

LEGEND !! pic.twitter.com/TcP9Bf2xWu

— 🚬🔥 (@_zalzala_) May 26, 2024

That's how you play Starc on a difficult Chennai pitch 🧿pic.twitter.com/RmoDqSxy2D

— ISHN (@Deshdrohit) May 26, 2024

"I don't think anyone have faced peak Starc like Virat has faced , You have to be technically sound like Virat to tackle this Starc."

– Ravi Shastri 🎙️. pic.twitter.com/ainKBWNTRL

— Sohel. (@SohelVkf) May 26, 2024

Pat Cummins watching Mitchell Starc pic.twitter.com/2T30WEJfll

— Sagar (@sagarcasm) May 26, 2024