Srinagar: Australia top pacer Mitchell Starc has started the ICC World Cup 2023 on high with a brilliant hat-trick against Netherlands in the World Cup warm up match on Saturday in Thiruvananthapuram, India.
At top, Mitchell Starc reduced the Dutch to 3-12 in the third over.
Chasing Australia’s 7-166 in a match reduced to 23 overs because of rain, the Netherlands chase was initially derailed by Starc, who dismissed three batters for a first-ball duck.
He trapped Max O’Dowd lbw with the fifth ball of the first over and then fired his next delivery through a gap between bat and pad to bowl Wesley Barresi.
After Mitchell Marsh bowled the second over, Starc returned to complete his hat-trick with a perfect yorker to remove Bas de Leede.
Marsh then bowled opener Vikram Singh for nine to reduce the Netherlands to 4-15.
Earlier, Steve Smith had scored 55 off 55 off 42 balls, with Cameron Green (34 off 26), Alex Carey (28 off 25) and Starc all chipping in.