Rinku kicked off the last over with a powerful six over midwicket, taking advantage of Starc's missed yorker that turned into a full toss.
Making a return to the IPL after nearly a decade, Australian left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc showcased his skills by opening the bowling for Kolkata Knight Riders in their second warm-up match at Eden Gardens on Tuesday. Despite facing some strong hits from Rinku Singh, Starc demonstrated his talent and determination on the field.
Starc, who previously played for Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2014 and 2015, was acquired by KKR in 2018 but unfortunately missed the season due to injury. This year, the Shah Rukh Khan-owned franchise made a significant investment by breaking the all-time auction record to secure Starc for a whopping Rs 24.75 crore. This move was aimed at strengthening their pace attack, which had been lacking in potency in recent times.
Representing Team Purple in their warm-up match against Team Gold, the 34-year-old displayed a strong and positive attitude.
Starc bowled aggressively with the new ball, putting pressure on Rahmanullah Gurbaz and 18-year-old Angkrish Raghuvanshi in his first over.
Mitchell Starc caused problems for Afghan batsman Gurbaz with a deceptive bounce, ultimately dismissing him LBW in an eventful opening over that resulted in figures of 1-0-1-1.
In the second over, while positioned at deep fine leg, Starc showcased his fielding skills by taking a difficult catch to his right to dismiss Venkatesh Iyer off the bowling of Andre Russell.
Continuing his impressive performance, Starc bowled the third over and managed to outsmart Angkrish on a couple of occasions. However, the young batsman eventually took charge by charging down the track and hitting a boundary with a powerful pull shot over fine leg.
Starc displayed exceptional effort in the field, sprinting to prevent a couple of boundaries before being called upon to bowl against Rinku and Manish Pandey. Despite his best efforts, the Australian bowler struggled as Rinku and Manish skillfully found gaps in the field, resulting in Starc conceding 20 runs in the final over and finishing with figures of 4-0-40-1.
Rinku kicked off the last over with a powerful six over midwicket, taking advantage of Starc's missed yorker that turned into a full toss. Despite this setback, Starc demonstrated determination and skill throughout the match, setting a strong example for his team ahead of their upcoming tournament-opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday.
Starc's inclusion in KKR's bowling unit brings a valuable combination of pace and experience, enhancing the team's depth and potency. This sets the stage for an exhilarating IPL season ahead. As the tournament unfolds, all eyes will be on Starc as he strives to make a substantial impact and lead KKR to glory in the IPL arena.
Also read| 'Was quite shocked...': R Ashwin reacts to Pat Cummins becoming Sunrisers Hyderabad captain for IPL 2024
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Watch: Rinku Singh smashes KKR's Rs 24.75 crore buy for a massive six during practice match ahead of IPL 2024")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}