"He is like the Reserve Bank of India" - Irfan Pathan lauds Jasprit Bumrah's spell in IND vs AFG 2024 T20 World Cup clash
Irfan Pathan has noted that Jasprit Bumrah is as safe as the Reserve Bank of India. He praised the unconventional seamer for delivering the goods in every situation.
India set Afghanistan an 182-run target after opting to bat first in their 2024 T20 World Cup Super 8 clash in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Thursday, June 20. Bumrah then registered figures of 3/7 in four overs as the Men in Blue bowled Rashid Khan and company out for 134 to complete an emphatic 47-run win.
Reviewing the game on Star Sports, Pathan lauded Bumrah for his reliability.
"He is like the Reserve Bank of India. He is absolutely safe. You expect him to perform when he bowls four overs in any situation. He sets up the game. How does he do that? Twelve runs had come in the first over bowled by Arshdeep (Singh), which means Afghanistan had got the momentum," he said.
The former India all-rounder noted that the right-arm seamer is proficient in figuring out the best bowling approach on any pitch.
"He (Bumrah) came in the second over and started putting an impact as soon as he came in. The wickets he took and the way he bowled in different phases, he bowled six slower balls in the first six overs, which means he sets the bowling tone. No one sets the bowling tone better than Jasprit Bumrah in world cricket," Pathan elaborated.
Bumrah dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Hazratullah Zazai with slower deliveries in the powerplay. He later had Najibullah Zadran caught by Arshdeep Singh off an attempted yorker.
"He is the top-most in Indian bowling" - Irfan Pathan on Jasprit Bumrah
![Jasprit Bumrah (left) dismissed Rahmanullah Gurbaz with his second delivery. [P/C: BCCI/X]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/06/b5a82-17189400151439-1920.jpg?w=500)
Irfan Pathan pointed out that Jasprit Bumrah concentrates on line and length and uses bouncers sparingly.
"He is the top-most in Indian bowling. He bowls good lengths. If you see his pitch map, you will get to see a cluster, the slower ones, and you will see him using the bouncer only when it's required," he said.
The cricketer-turned-commentator expects the Gujarat seamer to be lethal at the death in the ongoing T20 World Cup.
"The biggest thing in this World Cup is that when Jasprit Bumrah will come to bowl in the end, you will get to see a little reverse as well. It's a very big factor if India have to win this World Cup. No bowler will complain. Batters might complain that they are playing during the day but all bowlers will say they are getting a dry ball," Pathan reasoned.
Pathan also praised Arshdeep Singh (3/36) for bowling a potent spell. He noted that the Indian team becomes stronger if the left-arm seamer complements Bumrah by picking up wickets from the other end.