India pacer Arshdeep Singh has credited fellow speedster Jasprit Bumrah for his wicket-taking spree in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024. India qualified for the semi-final after defeating Australia in their last Super 8s stage game on Monday.
The 25-year-old left-armer from Punjab has 15 scalps in six games at an average of 11.86 and an economy rate of 7.41 runs per over. He is the second-highest wicket-taker in the T20 World Cup thus far.
Jasprit Bumrah, who was the Player of the Match in India’s first two wins in the tournament, has 11 wickets but has conceded just 4.08 runs per over.
Arshdeep Singh credited Jasprit Bumrah for putting pressure on batters from the other end, which made wicket-taking for him easy.
"I guess a lot of credit goes to Jasprit because he puts a lot of pressure on the batters. He gives what, three or four runs in an over. So, batsmen are coming hard against me and when they are trying, I just have to try and bowl my best ball and there are a lot of chances of getting wickets there because, on the other hand, they see the runs are not coming and the asking rate is going high.
So, they take more risks against me and there's a chance always of getting a wicket there. So a lot of credit for my wickets that goes to Jasprit,” Arshdeep said after Australia win.
Arshdeep also praised India spinner Kuldeep Yadav and called him a champion bowler. Kuldeep has 7 wickets from 3 games in the tournament.
"Kuldeep is a champion spinner. Whenever he gets a chance, he delivers and he's always been in the wickets. Today as well he was bowling from the tough end and even against the wind, he managed to bowl at around 6 an over and took crucial wickets.
He is a really important player in our team and we are looking forward to taking all from him and we hope he takes a lot of wickets," said Arshdeep.
India faces England in the second semi-final on Thursday and will look to avenge their loss in the previous T2- World Cup edition, when England had defeated them by 10 wickets.
Asked about his plans for the semifinals, Arshdeep added: "Right now, I'm not expecting anything out of that game, just that we'll have a little celebration after this game and a long travel day ahead. And then we'll see what conditions there are and how we can do our best there."
(PTI inputs)
