WTC 2023 Final: Axar Patel stuns Mitchell Starc with his acrobatic run out

The table toppers of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023 cycle, Australia returned for Day 2 of the ICC World Test Championship after a dominant Day 1 with the aim to bat India out of the match. Notably, the major reason for Australia’s sheer dominance on the opening day was due to some wayward bowling by the Indian bowler who failed miserably in executing their bowling plans. 

Team India desperately needed a good first session to get back into the game and the same happened as the bowlers took four invaluable wickets to mark India’s fightback. But the wicket which caught the eyes of fans all around the world was the runout of Mitchell Starc, courtesy of some acrobatic piece of fielding by the substitute fielder, Axar Patel.

The left-arm spinner who came in as a replacement fielder for Mohammed Shami was electric on the field, as he quickly darted from mid-off and gathered the ball while in motion and released a lightening fast throw to hit the stumps at the non-striker's end. As a result, the Australian pacer, Mitchell Starc was left in disbelief. Starc attempted to nudge a ball toward mid-off and sneak a quick single but found himself short off the crease.

Team India fights back to stop Australia from piling a mammoth total

The world number two Test side started Day 2 from 327/3 with Travis Head and Steven Smith looking very much comfortable in the middle, India needed some disciplined bowling and also some luck in their favour for dismissing the duo. The same happened when Mohammed Siraj got Travis Head (163) with his short ball trap, giving India a formidable start to Day two of the ultimate grand final. 

Mohammed Shami too soon joined the party dismissing Cameron Green (6), who was caught brilliantly at the second slip by Shubman Gill. With Australia reeling after losing two quick wickets within the span of 15 runs, the going was made even tougher when Shardul Thakur got the big wicket of Steven Smith (121) who was looking set for another big total to his name. 

Putting up a great show with the bowl on the second day of the WTC Final at The Oval, Indian bowlers sent Mitchell Starc (5) back to the pavilion with a tremendous run-out. Shortly after, Jadeja trapped stumper-batter Alex Carey who fell two runs short of a well-deserved fifty. This exposed the Australian tail who could not survive for long as Siraj dismissed skipper Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon in quick succession as Australia finish their first innings with 469/10 on the board.