Bumrah has been India’s real impact bowler in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
Bumrah, who was the Player-of-the-Tournament in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, bowled a stunning spell (1/33 in 4 overs) in the semifinal win over England on a placid pitch at the Wankhede Stadium. The right-arm quick will be keen to produce one more match-winning performance to help India defend the coveted title.
The Men in Blue are due to face New Zealand in the tournament final at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday (March 8).
Ahead of the title clash, Kiwi all-rounder Glenn Phillips made a bold remark about Bumrah, citing that they will be ready to pounce if India's ace pacer falters.
"He's human as well," Phillips told reporters on Friday (March 6). "He is allowed to have a bad day, as are the rest of us. So hopefully we have a good day against him."
Before the T20 World Cup, India hosted New Zealand in a five-match T20I series. While the home team clinched the series 4-1, Bumrah picked up just four wickets, conceding 9.46 runs an over.
Phillips acknowledged Bumrah's class but said the tactics against any bowler are never the same.
"Obviously we had a really good trip against him in the bilateral series as well but he's a class bowler," said Phillips. "He's got so many variations. He hits the block hole at the death incredibly well."
Phillips also dismissed the suggestions of playing out Bumrah's four overs and targeting the other bowlers.
"It's not necessarily going to be that, per se," he said. "As I said, a bowler is allowed to miss, and if he happens to miss, we do have to put it away."
"That also means that if he does bowl, well, we have to accommodate for other things and adapt."
The Black Caps may have edged into the semi-finals on net run rate, but they were clinical in the semifinal against South Africa. Finn Allen smashed the fastest century in T20 World Cup history, off just 33 balls, to help New Zealand chase down the target of 170 in just 12.5 overs to claim an outrageous nine-wicket win.
However, the final will throw a different challenge altogether as Mitchell Santner's team will be up against a crowd of over 100,000 at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
The occasion doesn't appear to be worrying the New Zealanders as they want to go out there and enjoy it.
"For us, we just go out there and enjoy it," said Phillips. "We have a great time as a group of guys, we go out there and do our best for our country and yes, obviously a packed crowd is fantastic.
"We play to entertain the people and whether they're supporting us or whether they're supporting India, it's fantastic for cricket in general."
(With AFP Inputs)