BBL 2020-21 | Sydney Sixers get lucky as Mitchell Starc returns to league after six years

After the Covid-19 induced crisis resulted in many players pulling out, making the BBL roster a dull list, it finally got some much-needed impetus after they snapped up the services of Mitchell Starc. Starc has played 10 BBL matches in his career picking 20 wickets at an economy rate of 7.92 and a strike rate of 11.3 but has decided against the same in 2014 to manage his workload. But having watched his bowling partner Josh Hazlewood and former skipper Steve Smith last year, the New South Wales pacer decided to return to the league this year.

"I've been watching from afar, the Big Bash, so it's nice to be back involved this year and seeing the guys run around it's a great product. It's a great time of the year for cricket in Australia and the Big Bash just shows that level of cricket and I guess that excitement that everyone wants to watch,” Starc said after signing the deal.

"I was watching Steve and Josh get back involved last year, and still being around and involved with the club I saw a little bit of an opportunity to jump back in. I'm just really looking forward to being back with some of my really close mates that play for NSW and the Sixers. There's some great people at the Sixers behind the scenes too."

The talismanic pacer also added that her wise Alyssa Healy’s presence in the same franchise in the Women’s Big Bash League also acted as a catalyst.

"It's great to be back in magenta after five seasons away from the Big Bash. I started at the Sixers at BBL01 and it's nice to continue that journey at a club I've still been around with my wife Alyssa involved with the Sixers,” the pacer added.

Sydney Sixers squad: Sean Abbott, Jackson Bird, Dan Christian, Tom Curran, Ben Dwarshuis, Jack Edwards, Mickey Edwards, Moises Henriques (c), Daniel Hughes, Hayden Kerr, Nathan Lyon, Ben Manenti, Stephen O'Keefe, Josh Philippe, Lloyd Pope, Jordan Silk, Mitchell Starc, James Vince