Jasprit Bumrah starred with the ball as the arch-rivals India edged Pakistan by six runs in an intensified ICC T20 World Cup match. Aside from contributing three wickets for 20 runs in his four overs, Bumrah made things tough for Pakistan’s batters. For India, it was also crucial that Rishabh Pant came in and played a counter-attacking knock of 42 runs off 31 balls to ensure that the team reached a mere par score of 119/6.
During the post-match interview, Bumrah opined that he holds a special regard for bowling—a quality that is not exactly popular in the country, which is famously seen as one that ‘loves their batsmen.’ He said he used to turn off the television when there were batting cameo shows, although he enjoyed it when the bat and ball were on par. For instance, Bumrah highlighted that restricting run rate was crucial over allowing wickets to accumulate on pitches that offered assistance.
Pakistan made a good decision when they decided to bowl because India performed poorly after that. The iconic opening duo of Kohli and Rohit performed poorly. However, Pant batted and came through with the kind of last-wicket stand that gave India a competitive target.
Mohammed Rizwan single-handedly scored 31 runs for Pakistan, but Bumrah and Hardik Pandya’s wickets put pressure on the side. Pakistan needed 18 off the final over and could manage only six more to win the match.
The win helped India to remain at the top of group A with four points in as many games, while Pakistan’s chances of a cameo to the knockout stage look bleak after suffering back-to-back defeats. That Bumrah brought focus back to bat-ball cricket reminded everyone of what it is about setting a platform for an exciting World Cup.
