Starc takes five to claim IPL bragging rights over Cummins

Mitchell Starc has won the heavyweight showdown between Australian fast-bowling teammates with his 5-35 propelling Delhi Capitals to a five-wicket victory over a Sunrisers Hyderabad team captained by Pat Cummins.

Starc dismantled the top order of Sunrisers' normally formidable batting line-up, dismissing Travis Head among a trio of early wickets in Visakhapatnam.

He then returned to mop up the tail, dismissing Sunrisers for 163, and claiming his first five-wicket haul in the Indian Premier League. 

Jake Fraser-McGurk made 38 off 32 balls as Delhi chased down the target with four overs to spare.

"It's been a good day," said Starc. "All round, we were fantastic. I've played for long enough, so I know what to do. You've got to think outside the box, even as an older player you have to bowl different balls."

Now 35 Starc, said he had no time-frame for quitting T20s. "I'm still enjoying being competitive, that's why I'm still playing," he added.

Hyderabad opted to bat first but lost Abhishek Sharma run out for one after a mix-up with Head. Then Starc stepped up and reduced them to 4-37 in 4.1 overs.

Ishan Kishan, a centurion in the previous game, was caught at deep backward point for two, Nitish Reddy dismissed for a two-ball duck, and Head caught behind for 22 off 12 balls. It was the sixth time Starc had dismissed Head in eight T20 innings at a cost of 34 runs.

"I think that's why he doesn't face the first ball anymore," said Starc with a laugh.

Aniket Verma (74 off 41 with six sixes) and Heinrich Klaasen (32 off 19) rebuilt the innings but, aided by a superb catch from Fraser-McGurk, Kuldeep Yadav restored Delhi's control and Starc finished Sunrisers off in the 19th over. 

In reply Fraser-McGurk and Faf du Plessis (50 off 27) put on 81 in nine overs and though Zeehan Ansari (3-42) dismissed both in the 10th, Delhi cruised to victory. Cummins' two overs went for 27.

In Sunday's later match Rajasthan Royals beat Chennai Super Kings by six runs. 

It was an improved outing for English quick Jofra Archer who had conceded the most expensive figures in IPL history against Sunrisers last weekend, 0-76 from four overs.

He subsequently went 0-33 from 15 balls in midweek. But in Chennai he took 1-13, including a maiden, from three overs. 

In a match without Australian players Royals made 9-182 with Nitish Rana hitting 81 off 36 balls. CSK lost Rachin Ravindra for a first-over duck but Gaikwad's 44-ball 63 kept them in contention. However MS Dhoni's last over dismissal for an 11-ball 16 contributed to them coming up short, making 6-176.

Australians at IPL 2025

Chennai Super Kings: Nathan Ellis ($365k)

Delhi Capitals: Mitch Starc ($2.15m), Jake Fraser-McGurk ($1.65m)

Kolkata Knight Riders: Spencer Johnson ($510k)

Lucknow Super Giants: Justin Langer (coach), Mitch Marsh ($623k)

Punjab Kings: Ricky Ponting (coach), Marcus Stoinis ($2m), Glenn Maxwell ($770k), Josh Inglis ($475k), Aaron Hardie ($228k), Xavier Bartlett ($146k)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Josh Hazlewood ($2.29m), Tim David ($547k)

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins ($3.7m), Travis Head ($1.2m), Adam Zampa ($440k)