Starc gets real for Sharma Just before the toss as Mitchell Starc was marking his run-up, Abhishek Sharma stood at the opposite end and was shadow batting a lofted shot. He even appeared to be visualising what he would be facing later on. But never in his wildest dreams he would have expected to face a peach of a delivery from Mitchell Starc.

It angled in at good pace and just shaped away, taking the off stump with it. Starc had struck again in the first over of a big match. Xxx šŸ“½ļø RAW REACTIONS Moments of pure joy, happiness, jubilation, and happy tears 🄹 What it feels to win the #TATAIPL Final šŸ’œ Scorecard ā–¶ļø https://t.

co/lCK6AJCdH9 #KKRvSRH | #Final | #TheFinalCall | @KKRiders pic.twitter.com/987TCaksZz — IndianPremierLeague (@ IPL ) May 26, 2024 From banter to bullet There was funny banter between Mitch Starc and Travis Head, at the non-striker’s end, after the first ball in the IPL final.

The first ball swung past the outside edge of Abhishek Sharma , and as Starc walked back, he directed a gesture at Head with his thumb back at striker’s end. As if to say you get there. Head said something that brought up a big laugh from Starc.

In the stands, a huge banner waved: ā€˜Travis Head, drop them dead!’ Three balls later, it was Starc dropping one dead with an absolute beaut. It landed on a length around middle and off and curved away past the iffy prod from Abhishek Sharma to clatter into the off peg. Starc roared, Abhishek winced, and the final was aliv.