The ICC T20 World Cup clash between India and Pakistan delivered everything and more on a low-scoring New York pitch that bowlers, especially Bumrah, would want to carry everywhere they go.
When the win predictability meter reads 92% in a team’s favour at around the 11th over, the team in question here being Pakistan, you wouldn’t think the result at the end of the 20th over would read India won by 6 runs. What India had was a captain who’s a master at defending low scores and a bowler who’s undeniably the best in the world.
India were put into bat by Pakistan on a pitch that aided bowlers throughout the World Cup. The bounce was uneven, the ball wasn’t coming onto the bat nicely, and India were in all sorts of trouble, losing their openers cheaply and never really finding the momentum. Rishab Pant’s traditionally unorthodox approach meant that runs kept flowing but with 119 on the board, it is fair to say Pakistan walked into the chase believing they had the game signed, sealed, and almost delivered. But Rohit Sharma and his men had other plans.
Rohit knew that Jasprit Bumrah held the key to defending this total and he used him smartly, once in the third over and then right at the end, in the 15th over, when Pakistan were 80/3 and within touching distance of a win over their bitter arch-rivals since inception. Bumrah’s magic isn’t built on mythical tales but hard facts such as skill and accuracy. He pushed the Pakistani batters in a corner with hard-to-score-off deliveries and then bowled a deceptive full length ball that shattered Rizwan’s stumps, Pakistan’s hopes, and signed, sealed, and delivered Jasprit Bumrah’s status as the GOAT. Zero panic buttons pressed, nothing fancy attempted, stuck to his basics, and delivered the goods for his team. If you ever needed an insight as to why this aspect needs to be lauded, let Bumrah tell you: “Even when there is help, you can be desperate, and you can try to go fuller and try to pull that magic delivery. I tried not to do that but when we came, the swing and seam had reduced. So, we had to be accurate because if we go for magic deliveries and try to be too desperate, run-making becomes easy and they know the target. So, we had to be very mindful of not overdoing it and, yes, add up pressure, use the big boundaries, try to use things to our advantage. That is what we were doing. So, in that we created pressure and everybody got wickets.”
This was the lowest total defended in ICC T20 World Cups, ever. Rohit Sharma knew that if the team hung in there long enough, the tide turns, it always does.
Credit: Gurnam & Namrta
