• Home
  • Who Said What
  • Ball Of The Tournament Ex Kkr Opener On Starcs Game Changing Dismissal Of Abhishek Sharma

'Ball Of The Tournament': Ex-KKR Opener On Starc's Game-Changing Dismissal Of Abhishek Sharma

Mitchell Starc clean bowled Abhishek Sharma in first over of IPL final (AP)Mitchell Starc clean bowled Abhishek Sharma in first over of IPL final (AP)

Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player and cricket analyst Aakash Chopra praised Mitchell Starc's match-winning spell in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 final. 

Chopra highlighted Starc's exceptional performance, specifically noting that the delivery which dismissed Abhishek Sharma was the ball of the tournament.

In the IPL 2024 final, SRH captain Pat Cummins chose to bat after winning the toss, and what followed at Chepauk was an exhibition of excellent swing bowling from KKR. The big left-arm quick was particularly effective, troubling his fellow countryman Cummins' team.

 In his three overs, Starc conceded just 14 runs and took 2 wickets. In the first over, he dismissed Abhishek Sharma with a delivery hailed as one of the greatest of the tournament, and inarguably the best, according to Aakash Chopra.


Aakash Chopra about Starc's wonder ball

In his YouTube video analysis, Aakash Chopra questioned SRH's decision to bat first after winning the toss. 

According to Chopra, SRH lost the game when Mitchell Starc and Vaibhav Arora took the crucial wickets of Abhishek Sharma and Travis Head in the first two overs. 

"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"- said Aakash Chopra in his YouTube video.

Mitchell Starc, known as Australia's clutch bowler in ICC tournaments, brought his match-winning ability to the IPL, winning the biggest game of the season on his own despite early struggles in the tournament.