(AP Photo)
Arshdeep Singh, the left-arm seamer from India, credited Jasprit Bumrah significantly for his success in the ongoing T20 World Cup. Arshdeep’s impressive performance of three wickets for 37 runs helped India secure victory over Australia, securing their spot in the semi-finals.
With this achievement, Arshdeep’s wicket tally rose to 15 from six matches. Jasprit Bumrah played a crucial role by dismissing Travis Head, a key setback for Australia during the match. Bumrah deceived Head with a slower delivery, leading to his catch by Rohit Sharma at short cover.
Together, Bumrah and Arshdeep have collectively taken 27 wickets in the tournament. After their win against Australia, Arshdeep spoke highly of Bumrah during the post-match press conference. He initially discussed the favorable playing conditions that aided their successful bowling performances.
“As a player and as a team, our motto is to adapt as well as we can to the conditions. As for the wind factor, when we bowled from the end opposite the pavilion, we got a lot of swing. From the other end, bowling against the wind… the batters were going to use the wind since the ball was traveling. So we had to look for defensive options there and not allow the wind to come into play” Arshdeep said after the match.
Arshdeep Singh- Jasprit Bumrah Puts A Lot Of Pressure On The Batters
During the press conference, he acknowledged that his ability to take wickets was greatly influenced by Jasprit Bumrah’s bowling from the other end, giving full credit to the seasoned pacer.
“I guess a lot of credit goes to Jassi bhai because he puts a lot of pressure on the batters – he gives, what, three or four runs in an over – so batters are coming hard against me, and I just have to try and bowl my best ball and there are a lot of chances of getting wickets there,” Arshdeep said. “On the other end they see the runs are not coming and the asking rate is going high, so they take more risks against me. [There’s a] chance always of getting a wicket there. So a lot of credit for my wickets goes to Jassi bhai” said Arshdeep.
Australia faced increasing challenges in the final phase of their chase, needing 71 runs to secure victory. However, the mounting pressure led to quick dismissals, starting with Travis Head’s pivotal wicket in the 17th over, which significantly altered the game in India’s favor.
The losses of Mitchell Marsh (37), Glenn Maxwell (20), and Marcus Stoinis were equally impactful during Australia’s pursuit. Arshdeep highlighted India’s strategic focus in the closing overs on taking wickets, a plan executed with precision and effectiveness.
“The thought [process] was clear. Our batters also batted on the same wicket, and early on it was easy to score runs, the ball was coming on nicely. But afterward, it became tough to hit boundaries,” Arshdeep said. “We knew if we took a couple of wickets, it would be tough for the new batters coming in to hit boundaries at will. That was the plan. A couple of nice overs from the spinners in the middle overs helped us” Arshdeep concluded saying.
India’s next challenge awaits them in the second semi-final against England in Guyana on June 27, scheduled for Thursday. Prior to that, South Africa will face Afghanistan in the first semi-final in Trinidad on June 26.
