In this article, we will discuss a thrilling T20 World Cup match between India and Pakistan, held in New York. The game was a testament to the brilliance of Jasprit Bumrah, whose exceptional bowling performance turned the tide in favor of India. Defending a modest total of 119, Bumrah’s disciplined and skillful bowling dismantled Pakistan’s batting lineup, leading to an improbable victory.
Despite Pakistan’s strong position at various stages, with a 93% chance of winning at one point, Bumrah’s heroics and crucial contributions from other Indian bowlers sealed a historic win for India, marking the joint-lowest total ever defended in men’s T20 World Cup history.
Despite being the best batting pitch in New York so far, it presented challenges with inconsistent bounce and balls not coming onto the bat. Both Rizwan and Arshdeep Singh suffered blows to the hand, underscoring the tricky conditions.
A blend of luck, bravery, and imagination was necessary. Rishabh Pant exemplified this mix, surviving three catching opportunities in three balls and an inside edge that narrowly missed the stumps. His audacity shone when he hit Haris Rauf over extra cover and innovatively played a flick shot while falling, placing the ball perfectly at fine leg. Facing Imad’s precise left-arm spin, Pant even attempted a standing reverse sweep.
Batting was tough. Pant’s unconventional approach yielded success and distinction, scoring 42 off 31 balls at a strike rate of 135, while the rest of India managed 70 off 84 at a strike rate of 83. Contrastingly, Mohammad Amir, erratic against the USA, was on point here. Eight of his first 12 balls induced false shots.
Early with the new ball, he beat the bat thrice consecutively, and with the old one, he almost achieved a hat-trick. Demoted to first-change, Amir capitalized on his entry, India having already lost Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli to balls that stuck in the pitch, a recurring theme.
Amir’s best work came during Pakistan’s dominant phase between the 12th and 15th overs, where only eight runs were scored for four wickets. India slumped from 89 for 3 to 96 for 7. Pakistan seemed ahead at the halfway mark, but twenty overs later, they faced elimination, primarily because they didn’t have Jasprit Bumrah.
Mohammad Rizwan misread a full-length ball, attempting a cross-bat shot, only to see his stumps shattered. Bumrah, spreading his arms wide in celebration, roared, and over 30,000 spectators roared with him.
This was no ordinary celebration; it was a pivotal moment that shifted the game’s momentum. Rizwan, Pakistan’s set batter, fell for 31 off 44 balls. Bumrah, having dismissed Babar Azam earlier, also took out Iftikhar Ahmed in the 19th over. Fifteen of his 24 deliveries were dots, showcasing his exceptional control and tactical acumen.
Bumrah’s brilliance etched a new record: 119 is now the joint-lowest total defended in men’s T20 World Cups. India waited until the third over to introduce their ace, and then until the 15th to bring him back.
In the interim, others maintained the pressure, notably Hardik Pandya, whose short-of-a-length deliveries exploited the New York pitch’s uneven bounce. He dismissed Fakhar Zaman and Shadab Khan, both caught off-guard by the unexpected bounce. Pandya’s nonchalance underlined his confidence in these conditions.
Axar Patel was another unsung hero, delivering the first of the death overs and conceding only two runs against a left-hander with a short boundary on the leg side. Imad Wasim couldn’t capitalize, as Axar’s non-spinning deliveries, angled across him, consistently bounced over his cut shots.
India defended a meager 119. Pakistan crumbled from 80 for 3, despite being finalists in the 2022 tournament, now on the brink of an early exit. Bumrah’s brilliance turned this match on its head, baffling both man and machine in New York.
India– 119 (19.0)
Pakistan – 113/7 (20.0)
Result – India won by 6 runs
Player of the match – Jasprit Bumrah
Jasprit Bumrah
India | Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj |
Pakistan | Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam (c), Usman Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Imad Wasim, Shadab Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Amir, Haris Rauf |
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