"Everything's better since Alyssa Healy has turned up" - Mitchell Starc on winning back-to-back POTM awards in playoffs

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) pace bowler Mitchell Starc credited his wife, Alyssa Healy, for his success in the later stages of the Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Mitchell Starc stated that his performance notably improved after Alyssa Healy's arrival in India for the recently concluded T20 tournament.

Mitchell Starc entered IPL 2024 amid high expectations after being bought for a record Rs 24.75 crore at the auction. However, the pacer struggled to make an impact, conceding over 100 runs in his first two matches without taking a wicket. He received criticism from fans and experts for his performance.

The left-arm pacer struggled for most of the tournament but found his rhythm towards the end of the league phase. He played a pivotal role for the Kolkata Knight Riders in Qualifier 1 against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH). He dismantled the Hyderabad batting lineup with a three-wicket haul in the playoff match.

The 34-year-old took two wickets in the final match against SRH in Chennai on Sunday, May 26. Starc dismissed Abhishek Sharma in the first over and later took the wicket of Rahul Tripathi, finishing with 2/14 in three overs. He became the first player to be named Player of the Match twice in the playoffs.

Everything's Better Since Alyssa Healy Has Turned Up - Mitchell Starc

Speaking to Star Sports, Mitchell Starc emphasized Alyssa Healy's support as a significant boost to his confidence. The captain of the Australia women’s team was first seen cheering for Starc during KKR’s match against MI at the Wankhede Stadium.

"Everything's better since Alyssa (Healy) has turned up," Starc told Star Sports.

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Mitchell Starc concluded the IPL 2024 season with 17 wickets in 14 matches, averaging 26.11 with an economy rate of 10.61. The veteran fast bowler is fifth among the highest wicket-takers for the Knight Riders, behind Varun Chakaravarthy (21), Harshit Rana (19), Andre Russell (19), and Sunil Narine (17).

Great Night For KKR - Mitchell Starc

Speaking to host broadcasters after the final, Mitchell Starc described the victory in the IPL 2024 final as a testament to the team's overall performance. Starc mentioned that everyone peaked for the backend of the tournament as well as the support from the coaching staff.

"Great night for KKR. What a game, what a series, what a season. Probably the two most exciting teams in the final, it was a great night. It was an upward journey from the start of the IPL till now. We've had a fantastic squad of bowlers and batters, our staff have been fantastic to get everyone peaking for the back end of the tournament. We've been such a consistent side, we haven't had one or two people standout, it's been contributions from everyone," Starc said.

The KKR bowlers restricted the opposition to 113 runs after losing the toss. Andre Russell picked up three wickets, while Starc and Harshit Rana took two scalps each. Venkatesh Iyer, who scored 52 runs off 26 balls, helped the team chase down the target with eight wickets and 57 balls to spare.

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