Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pacer Mitchell Starc castled Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) opener Travis Head for a two-ball duck during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 Qualifier 1 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday (May 21). SRH’s skipper, Pat Cummins, won the toss and opted to bat first against the Shreyas Iyer-KKR. However, SRH faced an early setback when Head was dismissed on the second ball of the match.
Travis Head’s dismissal
The crucial dismissal unfolded in the second over of SRH’s innings when Head attempted an ambitious drive down the ground off a well-placed good-length delivery from Starc. Unfortunately for Head, the ball skillfully found the gap between his bat and pad, crashing into the stumps and leaving him bowled for a two-ball duck. This marked Head’s second consecutive duck in the ongoing IPL season, underscoring his recent struggles at the crease.
Here’s the video:
Starc sets the tone for Qualifier 1 with a ripper! 🔥#IPLonJioCinema #TATAIPL #KKRvSRH #TATAIPLPlayoffs #IPLinBengali pic.twitter.com/3AJG5BvZwT
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) May 21, 2024
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Early collapse for SRH
Following Head’s dismissal, Abhishek Sharma and Rahul Tripathi aimed to stabilize the innings. However, SRH’s woes continued as KKR’s Vaibhav Arora struck, halting Abhishek’s progress. Meanwhile, Starc’s fiery spell wasn’t over. He continued to wreak havoc by claiming the wickets of Nitish Kumar Reddy and Shahbaz Ahmed, reducing SRH to a precarious 44/4 at the end of the powerplay.
Mitchell Starc’s impact
Starc’s lethal bowling spell set the tone for KKR in this high-stakes match. His ability to dismantle the SRH top order early in the innings gave KKR a significant advantage, putting them in a strong position to control the game. Starc’s early breakthroughs exemplified his skill and experience, showcasing why he remains one of the most feared bowlers in T20 cricket.
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