NEW DELHI: The much-anticipated face-off between Mitchell Starc and teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi turned into an anti-climax as Kyle Jamieson stole the early spotlight in the IPL 2026 clash between Delhi Capitals and Rajasthan Royals at Jaipur on Friday.
With anticipation building around Starc's first appearance of the season and his duel against the in-form youngster, fans were left disappointed as the contest never truly materialised. Sooryavanshi was dismissed by Jamieson in just the second over, before he could even face Starc.
RR skipper Riyan Parag had opted to bat first after winning the toss, but the decision quickly backfired as DC's pace attack struck early blows.
Early drama, but no marquee clash
Starc opened the bowling for DC and was immediately tested by Yashasvi Jaiswal, who smashed the very first delivery for a six. However, the experienced Australian had the last laugh. In the same over, Starc bowled a full toss on middle that surprised Jaiswal. Attempting to swing across the line, the batter mistimed it, ballooning the ball back to the bowler. Starc completed a simple caught-and-bowled to claim his first wicket of the season, sending Jaiswal back for 6 off 3 balls.
At the other end, Sooryavanshi began brightly, stroking a confident boundary off his very first ball against Jamieson. But the promise was short-lived. On the very next delivery, a dipping low full toss sneaked under his bat, deflecting off the pad onto the stumps as he departed for 4 off 2 balls.
Jamieson upstages Starc return
While Starc's return had dominated the pre-match narrative, it was Jamieson who ensured DC seized early control. By removing Sooryavanshi before the marquee clash could unfold, the New Zealander effectively shut the door on what was billed as the contest's biggest subplot.
With both aggressive RR openers back in the hut inside two overs, DC's revamped bowling attack made an immediate impact. Starc's comeback added intensity, but it was Jamieson's timely strike that defined the early momentum.
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