Jasprit Bumrah continues rich vein of form with tight spell vs New Zealand
While other bowlers went for runs, Jasprit Bumrah kept calm, didn’t allow the New Zealand batsmen much room, varied his pace, line and length to concede just 23 runs in his four overs.
Jasprit Bumrah has built a reputation of bowling perfect spells under pressure and he enhanced his reputation further on Saturday as he helped India keep New Zealand below 200 in the 2nd T20I. (IND v NZ updates | IND v NZ scorecard)
While other bowlers went for runs, Bumrah kept calm, didn’t allow the Black Caps much room, varied his pace, line and length to concede just 23 runs in his four overs.
The wicket didn’t offer anything for the bowlers, but the skills honed over the years playing in the IPL and in the nets helped him overcome the placid conditions. New Zealand were well-placed to cross the 200-run mark with ease but he bowled two tight overs at the death, conceded just 14 from them with a lone boundary to keep the scoring down.
READ | India vs New Zealand: Colin Munro scores ton to help NZ post fighting total
Colin Munro, the New Zealand centurion, also found it difficult to put Bumrah away as he was allowed no room by the Gujarat bowler.
Bowling in the death is nothing new for Bumrah, he has done it on various occasions for the Mumbai Indians. His brilliant Super Over for Mumbai Indians on the same ground against Gujarat Lions is still fresh in the memory.
And on Saturday, his bowling reminded of that spell. That time he stopped big-hitting Brendon McCullum and Aaron Finch. What enhanced his reputation on that occasion was, he was preferred over Lasith Malinga to bowl the Super Over and he didn’t disappoint. On Saturday, he stopped Munro, a player similar to McCullum and Finch, who was dealing only in boundaries and sixes.
He had also held his nerve in the Kanpur ODI to stop New Zealand and help India seal the series. With every outing, he is cementing his place as India’s premier pacer in the shorter formats and will be one of the first names in skipper Virat Kohli’s book when he sits down to pick his squad for the 2019 World Cup.
