"Always good to be back" - Bhuvneshwar Kumar after his match-winning spell in the 5th T20I
Bhuvneshwar Kumar's outstanding performance in the 5th T20I against England helped India win the series 3-2. In a game where the other bowlers conceded nearly 11 runs per over on average, Bhuvneshwar only gave away 3.80 runs per over.
In his four overs, the 31-year-old picked up 2 wickets and conceded just 15 runs, which made a massive difference in the context of the match.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar picked up the critical wickets of Jason Roy and Jos Buttler to keep India one step ahead in the game. Buttler's wicket, in particular, started the downfall for England in the chase at a point when he and Dawid Malan were threatening to take the game away from the hosts.
In his post-match interview, the Meerut-born pacer started off by saying it felt good to be back but that he didn't want to jinx himself with the statement. Bhuvneshwar Kumar explained that he had said the same on a couple of occasions earlier, only to suffer another injury right after.
"Always good to be back and always good to contribute to the team's win. Feeling good body-wise, bowling with the new ball and death bowlers. So, good to take wickets. I was confident because I played some domestic matches. When you get a wicket with a new ball with the inswingers, it gives you joy and confidence to try out a few different things," said Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar's efforts complemented by India's batsmen
India won the 5th T20I against England by 36 runs to clinch the series. Apart from Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya starred in the victory.
Sharma's 64 off 34 balls helped India get off to a blazing start, and it was topped by Kohli's unbeaten 80 off 52 balls later in the innings. Pandya gave the finishing touches with a 17-ball 39, while Suryakumar Yadav chipped in with 32 runs. This helped India post a huge total of 224/2 on the board.
England got off to a promising start in the chase but lost their way once Jos Buttler and Dawid Malan returned to the pavilion. Their middle order couldn't deliver against a promising Indian bowling attack. Shardul Thakur was impressive with his three-wicket haul.