Mitchell Starc was not pleased with the presentation ceremony that ensued after the IPL 2024 final, which saw his team, Kolkata Knight Riders, defeat Sunrisers Hyderabad to claim their third title. The Aussie pacer was particularly unimpressed with how late the proceedings began, long after KKR had picked up the win. The post-match presentation began a good two hours after the match finished, and by the time the players lifted the trophy, Starc says the euphoric mood following the win took a bit of a hit.
The post-match ceremony of any IPL final is usually a lengthy affair. Players of the winning teams are interviewed, owners – in this case Shah Rukh Khan – come down to celebrate with the entire team. Then, even once the post-match ceremony is underway, the broadcasters thank and mention all the dignitaries in attendance and who played a role in the tournament. Finally, the runner-up team collects its individual medals before the winning team lifts the trophy. While all this was a moment to savour for KKR, who won their first IPL title after 10 years, it stretched a little too much, insisted Starc.
The Aussie pacer also revealed the reaction of his teammate Angkrish Raghuvanshi, 19, on seeing the winner's prize money.
"Any chances of presentation, you ask? Well, two hours later. The game finished at 10PM and the presentation hasn't even started by midnight. It killed the vibe. We're sitting down and young Anky [Angkrish Raghuvanshi] who is our No. 3; he sees the winner's cheque coming. The team got ₹20 crore for winning the final. And he goes 'Huh! It's not even what you got paid'," Starc said on the LiSTNR Sport podcast. Angkrish, an India Under-19 World Cup winner, played 10 games for KKR and scored 163 runs with one half-century.
{{/usCountry}}"Any chances of presentation, you ask? Well, two hours later. The game finished at 10PM and the presentation hasn't even started by midnight. It killed the vibe. We're sitting down and young Anky [Angkrish Raghuvanshi] who is our No. 3; he sees the winner's cheque coming. The team got ₹20 crore for winning the final. And he goes 'Huh! It's not even what you got paid'," Starc said on the LiSTNR Sport podcast. Angkrish, an India Under-19 World Cup winner, played 10 games for KKR and scored 163 runs with one half-century.
{{/usCountry}}Mitchell Starc recalls THAT delivery to dismiss Travis Head
Starc, for whom IPL 2024 was his first Indian Premier League season in 9 years, preserved his best for last. Picked for a whopping ₹24.75 crore, making him the richest cricketer ever bought at the IPL auction, Starc finished the season with 17 wickets, making up for a slow start. After returning expensive figures in the first few games, Starc hit the bullseye in the all-important Qualifier 1 and the final.
He grabbed 3/34 against SRH in the first match of the Playoffs, sending down a ripper to dismiss the dangerous Travis Head. Five days later, as the two teams squared off again in the final, Starc picked 2/14 to be adjudged Player of the Match. In fact, his dismissal of Head, which sent his fellow Australian's stumps flying, is cherished dearly by Starc as one of his best wickets ever.
"Yeah, it's probably right up there, with the one I bowled to Brendon McCullum in the 2015 World Cup final," said Starc.