Mitchell Starc Etches Name in History with Sensational Five-Wicket Spell for DC

Mitchell Starc delivered a sensational spell for Delhi Capitals (DC), becoming the first pacer in the franchise’s history to claim a five-wicket haul in the IPL. His brilliant figures of 5/35 helped bowl out Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) for a modest 163 in the 19th over at Visakhapatnam.

Starc’s Powerplay Destruction

Opting to bat first, Sunrisers Hyderabad endured a nightmare start, courtesy of Starc’s relentless pace and accuracy. The left-arm quick removed Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and his long-time nemesis, Travis Head, inside the powerplay, reducing SRH to 37/4 in just 4.1 overs. The collapse began with a mix-up in the very first over, leading to Abhishek Sharma’s run-out, followed by Starc’s fiery spell dismantling the top order.

Ishan Kishan edged a short-pitched delivery to third man, while Nitish Kumar Reddy attempted an ambitious heave and holed out to mid-on. However, the biggest talking point was yet another battle between Starc and Head, with the Aussie speedster dismissing his national teammate for the sixth time in eight matches.

Travis Head Falls to His “Bunny” Again

Starc has had a psychological edge over Head in top-flight cricket, and this contest was no different. The Sunrisers opener started confidently, striking two boundaries in the first over, but Starc bounced him out in the fifth over. With this dismissal, Head’s struggles against his countryman continued, as he has now fallen to Starc six times in just 34 balls across their last eight encounters.

Before this match, Starc had tormented Head in the IPL 2024 final when he was playing for Kolkata Knight Riders. He had ripped through SRH’s top order in that game as well, guiding KKR to a dominant victory.

Aniket Verma’s Heroics and Starc’s Late Strikes

Despite the early collapse, SRH found a savior in Aniket Verma, who played a sensational knock of 74 off 41 balls. He held the innings together, playing some breathtaking shots, but his effort was cut short by a stunning catch from Jake Fraser-McGurk in the deep off Kuldeep Yadav’s bowling.

As SRH aimed for a competitive total, Starc returned in the death overs to complete his five-wicket haul. His final scalp was Wiaan Mulder, who miscued a shot straight to Faf du Plessis at mid-off. This wicket sealed a remarkable spell, making Starc only the second DC bowler to take a five-wicket haul in IPL history, after Amit Mishra’s 5/17 in 2008.

A Historic Spell for Starc

With this performance, Starc not only became the first Delhi Capitals pacer to claim a five-wicket haul but also registered his best-ever IPL figures. His previous best was 4/15 during the 2015 season.

Best Bowling Figures for Delhi Capitals in IPL History:

• 5/17 – Amit Mishra vs Deccan Chargers (2008)
• 5/35 – Mitchell Starc vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (2025)
• 4/11 – Amit Mishra vs Kings XI Punjab (2016)
• 4/14 – Kuldeep Yadav vs Kolkata Knight Riders (2022)
• 4/15 – Rajat Bhatia vs Deccan Chargers (2009)

With 163 to chase, DC now looks to their batting lineup, led by Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk, to seal a crucial win. But with SRH’s strong bowling attack, the chase could still be a tricky one.

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