Left-arm pacer Mitchell Starc has been rested for the ongoing game against Bangladesh at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune. With a place in the semifinals already booked, Australia decided to rest their star pacer.
Along with him, Glenn Maxwell has been rested for the game too after battling severe cramps during his monumental 201*-run knock against Afghanistan earlier this week. Mitchell Starc played in all eight games of the World Cup before being finally rested. The Australia pace spearhead was the leading wicket-taker in the last two editions of the World Cup.
In 2015, he had picked up 22 wickets in eight games. Four years later, he accounted for 27 wickets from 10 games. However, he has failed to deliver as per expectations in the ongoing edition of the 50-over World Cup. In 8 games so far, he has managed to pick up only 10 wickets at an average of almost 45. His economy rate is also close to 7.
Mitchell Starc tries his hands at wicketkeeping:
Having failed to make a mark as a pacer in the ongoing World Cup, it seems Mitchell Starc has decided to try his hand at wicketkeeping. Wicketkeeping runs in the Starc family as his wife and Australia women’s team’s star Alyssa Healy is one of the best wicketkeepers in the world.
Ahead of the game against Bangladesh, he was seen taking a few catches with the wicketkeeping gloves on. The ICC posted a video of the same on their official Instagram handle and tagged Alyssa Healy.
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Mitchell Starc is likely to return to action in the semifinals when Australia lock horns against South Africa. The five-time world champions are eyeing a record-extending sixth World Cup title. Earlier in the competition, they suffered a defeat against the Proteas and would be keen to avenge the loss in the semifinals.
In the other semifinal, hosts India are looking set to lock horns against New Zealand. While Pakistan could still make it to the semifinals, their chances of displacing New Zealand at the fourth spot are highly slim.
