Jasprit Bumrah produced a fantastic spell to script India’s narrow six-run victory over Pakistan in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 match at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York on Sunday (June 9).
The right-arm quick made the Pakistani batters dance to his tunes on a two-paced pitch, where the Men in Blue were bowled out for 119 in 19 overs.
Bumrah was exceptional in the powerplay as well as in the death overs, returning with the figures of 3 for 14 in his four overs to help India restrict the arch-rivals to 113/7. Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed were his victims.
After the game, legendary pacers Waqar Younis and Dale Steyn got together on Star Sports to decode why Bumrah is so successful in his career, especially since his return from recurring back injury.
Waqar, who has 789 international wickets to his name, lauded Bumrah for dismantling Pakistan by dismissing the best batters in their line-up.
"Jasprit Bumrah is a class act. You've got to really praise him the way he bowls. He's very, very smart. He knows exactly what he's doing and he reads the conditions so well. It is not the first time I saw him, not only against Pakistan, but against any opponent, and he knows exactly what needs to be done on certain pitches. But yesterday he was top class. He was not given a new ball and given the ball in the third over and he was spot on picking up Babar's wicket, picking up Rizwan and taking those two wickets really broke the back of Pakistan team," Waqar explained.
On the other hand, Steyn said that the adjustment in length is Bumrah’s secret to success. He also highlighted the Indian pacer’s ability to read conditions well, which helps him to decide on his length very quickly and that’s why batters find him difficult to tackle.
"I think his great skill is his ability to alter his length. He's never really had an issue with his line. If he wants to follow a wide yorker, it's no problem. A straight yorker. It's no problem, but his length. We spoke about the length earlier. When you're in India, you might want to change your length. You might want to go a little bit fuller, you know, maybe a bit shorter wherever it is. But he's adjusted to the length here so well. And that means that as a batter, you're getting absolutely nothing. You're not getting any freebies. He's not bowling any half volleys that you can score runs," Steyn stated.
"So whether he's opening the bowling or coming in as a reverse change, his adaptability to length is what makes it so difficult for batters to score runs. And then all of a sudden you got to take a chance to a ball that's not there and that's how he gets his wickets. And then he throws in his magic deliveries, which are absolutely incredible," he further remarked.
Waqar concluded the show by pointing out that Bumrah instills so much fear into the opposition batters that he gets away with bad balls as well.
"And he's also created that terror like Dale Steyn at one stage. It plays in batters' minds and even if he bowls a bad ball, you're so worried and scared of losing your wicket against him that you just miss out on things. And I always praise him, and I always feel that he's probably the best white ball bowler right now," Waqar concluded.
Jasprit Bumrah will be next seen in action during India’s Group A match against USA at New York on June 12.
