In the wake of India’s commanding six-wicket triumph over Pakistan in the Asia Cup Super Fours in Dubai, T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav stepped up to defend his star pace bowler, Jasprit Bumrah. While Bumrah endured a challenging day on the field, India successfully chased down Pakistan’s formidable total of 171/5—their highest T20I first innings score against India—extending their impressive winning streak in the tournament.
Image: India’s Jasprit Bumrah (AP/PTI)
Returning to the lineup after being rested for the previous match against Oman, much was anticipated from Bumrah. However, his performance was uncharacteristically off-kilter right from the start. Tasked with bowling three overs during the powerplay and reserving one for the crucial death overs, Bumrah conceded consecutive boundaries in his opening over to Fakhar Zaman. He continued to falter, delivering misdirected yorkers and costly no-balls, concluding his spell with a dismal 0/45. Adding to his woes, vice-captain Shubman Gill regrettably dropped his only potential wicket.
Addressing the media after the match, Suryakumar Yadav offered a philosophical perspective on Bumrah’s outing, stating, “That’s perfectly fine; he’s not a robot. Everyone has an off day. Thankfully, Dube was there to pull us out of a tricky spot.”
As Bumrah struggled to find his rhythm, Shivam Dube emerged as the team’s hero with the ball, delivering vital breakthroughs. Utilizing a smart mix of slower deliveries and scrambled seam bowling, Dube expertly removed well-settled batsmen Sahibzada Farhan, who had scored 58, and Saim Ayub, contributing 21, ultimately ending his spell with impressive figures of 2/33.
Suryakumar Yadav also highlighted the successful batting partnership between Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill, remarking that “they complement each other perfectly.”
A late-innings acceleration by Faheem Ashraf significantly boosted Pakistan’s score, enabling them to register their highest T20I total against India when batting first.
India’s chase was masterfully orchestrated by outstanding batting performances from Abhishek Sharma, who notched up an impressive 74 runs, and Shubman Gill, who added a solid 47. Their crucial partnership laid a strong foundation that ultimately sealed India’s victory.