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Venkatesh Iyer had a lighthearted moment after KKR's IPL victory, jokingly declaring Alyssa Healy, Starc's wife and the Australian women's cricket captain, as his favourite Australian, leaving Starc playfully feigning offence.
Healy joined the KKR camp mid-tournament, and while she couldn't be there for the finals, Venky revealed they spoke beforehand and she sent her best wishes.
'Alyssa is my most favourite Australian right now and not Mitch Starc. He is No. 2,' Venky said with a laugh.
'It's good to have your family around on such a big occasion. Unfortunately, Alyssa had to leave. We spoke with her before the game and she sent across her wishes.'
Starc echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the role families played in the team's success.
'We have got the families out here. The extended staff and rest had messages of support before we left the hotel. We had a lot of them around for the tournament. All of this is because of their support,' Starc said.
Starc credited Healy's arrival for a positive shift in his performance.
'Everything's been better since Alyssa has turned up,' he told Star Sports.
This is evident in Starc's performance. After a sluggish start, he picked up pace during the crucial stages, bagging the Player of the Match awards in Qualifier 1 and the Final.
He finished the season with 17 wickets, a strong showing for the most expensive player in IPL auction history.