Indian pacers wreaked havoc in Lucknow, defeating reigning champions England by 100 runs to register their sixth consecutive win in the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023. The duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami shared 7 wickets among each other to bundle out England for 129 in 34.5 overs. While Bumrah returned 3 for 32 in 6.5 overs, Shami picked up 4 wickets in 7 overs and conceded just 22 runs, including a couple of maidens.
Bumrah opened his account by cleaning up Dawid Malan right before trapping Joe Root in front for a golden duck. Later, he knocked over Mark Wood to seal the win for India with 91 balls to spare. Shami, on the other hand, bagged the wickets of Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid.
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Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram was all praise for Bumrah. Speaking with A Sports after India’s convincing win, Akram called the Indian speedster a ‘complete bowler’.
“He’s the best in the world, at the top of the ladder. The way he has been performing, the pace, the variation; he’s a complete bowler,” Akram told A Sports.
“Swinging the ball according his will in this kind of track is commendable. The way he set Jonny Bairstow. First couple of deliveries were outswingers and the next two moved in, the ball went through the gap and the keeper grabbed it from a good height. Pace, carry, followthrough… you just name it, he is a complete bowler – mentally and physically,” he added.
Akram further explained how 29-year-old Indian pacer poses threat with the new ball by swinging it both ways. The Pakistan legend also asserted that Bumrah has more control with the new ball than he had in his playing days.
“Bumrah bowling to a left-hander from around the wicket; he brings his right arm in such a way that the batter thinks the ball would move towards him after hitting the deck but it actually swings away.
“When I used to bowl outswingers to a right-hander, I used to twist by wrist a little to beat the batter but Bumrah, definitely, got better control with the new ball than I had,” Akram added.
When asked about how to stop an in-form Bumrah from doing wonders with the ball, Akram said, “The length at which he bowls with the new ball is uncertainty for a batter. Bumrah pe pressure daalne ka ek hi tareeka hai, uske boot chori kar lo (So, there is only way in which you can put pressure on him, just steal his boots).”
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