Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar showered accolades on Jasprit Bumrah for his exceptional performance during the India vs. Pakistan match in the Asia Cup 2023 Super Four stage. In a triumphant return to ODI cricket after an absence of over a year, Jasprit Bumrah demonstrated his brilliance on the field.
Right from the start, Bumrah appeared to be in impeccable form as he subjected the Pakistani batsmen to a relentless onslaught of pace, bounce, and swing. During his initial five-over spell, Bumrah had the Pakistani batsmen struggling, inducing false responses from them on a remarkable 17 occasions, rendering him nearly unplayable.
His wicket-taking prowess was on full display as he provided India with a crucial breakthrough by dismissing the in-form Imam-ul-Haq with a beautiful delivery. Bumrah’s blistering pace set the stage for India’s dominance, which was brilliantly capitalized upon by the rest of the Indian bowlers. After the fast bowlers had Pakistan reeling, Kuldeep Yadav mowed through Pakistan’s middle and lower order, resulting in Pakistan’s dismissal for a mere 128 runs. This 228-run victory represents India’s most significant ODI win over Pakistan in terms of runs.
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Sunil Gavaskar was effusive in his praise for Jasprit Bumrah, acknowledging the bowler’s impressive rhythm against Pakistan. During an interview with Sports Tak’s Vikrant Gupta, the former cricketer-turned-commentator emphasized that India’s performance was well-rounded.
“If the game against Pakistan had been washed out, there would have been doubts about India’s ability to reach the final. It was a comprehensive performance from India, and they secured a fantastic victory against Pakistan. India completely dominated Pakistan,” remarked Sunil Gavaskar.
Gavaskar further commended the impressive performances of KL Rahul and Jasprit Bumrah. He noted that Rahul had dispelled concerns about his fitness by keeping wickets after scoring a century. In reference to Jasprit Bumrah, Gavaskar noted that even the world-class batter Babar Azam had difficulty reading the pace bowler’s deliveries.
“KL Rahul not only scored a century but also kept wickets, dispelling all concerns about his fitness. Jasprit Bumrah was also in splendid form. His ability to swing the ball both ways while running in was exceptional. Even a world-class batsman like Babar Azam struggled to anticipate the ball’s trajectory. This Indian team is prepared, and I hope they maintain this momentum in the Asia Cup and the World Cup,” Sunil Gavaskar affirmed.