[Watch] When Virat Kohli Pummelled Mitchell Starc For RCB

image-lqdjd9t2Virat Kohli in full flow against Mitchell Starc at CLT20 2011 (AP)

Australian speed demon Mitchell Starc shattered numerous records at the IPL 2024 auction by becoming the most expensive purchase in history. 

The cricketer landed a place in Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) franchise for 2024 to mark his return to the tournament after nearly a decade.

Starc previously spent two seasons (2014 and 2015) at the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) camp under the leadership of Virat Kohli.

Interestingly, a couple of years before making his IPL debut, Starc was bashed around at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium by none other than Kohli himself during a Champions League T20 game of 2011.

When Virat Kohli belted Mitchell Starc at Bangalore

Mitchell Starc turned up for New South Wales in the first semifinal of the 2011 Champions League T20 against RCB at the latter’s home ground at Bengaluru M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Defending 204 runs to secure a place in the finals, the Australian speedster found himself at the receiving end of some serious leathering from RCB zealot Virat Kohli.

Kohli, batting at number three, pummeled Starc with four boundaries in the space of an over during the initial stages of his innings. Upon reaching his half-century, the Indian batting legend belted the speedster with a six and successive boundaries to finish at an unbeaten 84 from just 49 balls. In all, Kohli accumulated 32 of those runs from Starc alone in the 12 deliveries he faced from the Australian pace maverick.

Virat Kohli’s batting masterclass, coupled with Chris Gayle’s 92-run assault helped RCB hunt down New South Wales’ 203-run total with nine balls to spare. Mitchell Starc himself finished with expensive figures of 0-41 from his three overs, thus tendering teammate Pat Cummins’ fighting four-fer in vain.