Mitchell Starc Set to Join Delhi Capitals for Upcoming Clash Against Rajasthan Royals
Starc's Availability Update
New Delhi [India] - April 25: After the Delhi Capitals (DC) faced a defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Venugopal Rao, the Director of Cricket for DC, provided an update regarding pacer Mitchell Starc. He confirmed that the Australian bowler will be available for the match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) on May 1 in Jaipur.
Despite KL Rahul's remarkable innings of 152*, DC struggled to defend a staggering total of 265 runs due to a lackluster bowling performance. This match marked the highest successful run chase in T20 history, a record previously set by Punjab Kings (PBKS) two years ago and now reestablished during their unbeaten streak this season.
During the post-match press conference, Venugopal stated, “Cricket Australia has provided a report. He will be available from May 1. We will evaluate the team combination.”
This announcement indicates that Starc will miss the upcoming match against the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), scheduled for May 27. Last season, he claimed 14 wickets for DC, averaging 26.14 with an economy rate of 10.16, including a five-wicket haul.
DC announced Starc's arrival on their social media platforms today. The pacer, who has retired from T20 internationals, has been recovering from shoulder and elbow injuries, as well as managing a heavy workload during the Ashes series, where he took 31 wickets and contributed crucial runs, including two fifties.
Starc's return is expected to significantly enhance DC's bowling attack at a crucial juncture in their campaign. Currently, Mukesh Kumar, Aquib Nabi Dar, and T Natrajan have been the primary Indian pacers for DC, while South Africa's Lungi Ngidi, who was injured during the match against PBKS, adds valuable overseas experience.
With this victory, PBKS remains unbeaten with six wins and one no-result, accumulating 13 points. In contrast, DC is positioned sixth with three wins and four losses, totaling six points. PBKS also surpassed their previous record of chasing down 262 runs against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 2024 season.
In the match, after opting to bat first, DC witnessed an exciting 220-run partnership between KL Rahul (152* off 67 balls, including 16 fours and nine sixes) and Nitish Rana (91* off 44 balls, with 11 fours and four sixes), leading them to a total of 264/2.
PBKS responded aggressively, with Priyansh Arya scoring 43 off 17 balls (two fours and five sixes) and Prabhsimran contributing 76 off 26 balls (nine fours and five sixes). Shreyas Iyer (71* off 36 balls, with three fours and seven sixes) formed partnerships with Nehal Wadhera (25) and Shashank Singh (19*), successfully completing the chase in just 18.5 overs with six wickets remaining.