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Mohammad Kaif has showered praise on Jasprit Bumrah, emphasizing his pivotal role in India’s triumph at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. According to Kaif, Bumrah emerged as the linchpin behind Team India’s success in the tournament. Notably, Bumrah’s exceptional performances guided Rohit Sharma’s squad to the final and secured victories against formidable opponents. For instance, in a crucial group stage encounter against Pakistan, Bumrah’s return to the bowling attack after 10 overs proved decisive, dismantling key opposition batsmen and helping restrict Pakistan to a modest total of 119.
Throughout the tournament, Jasprit Bumrah exhibited stellar form, claiming 15 wickets in 8 matches at an astonishing average of just 8.27. He finished as the second-highest wicket-taker in the competition, trailing only Fazalhaq Farooqi and Arshdeep Singh, who each claimed 17 wickets. Bumrah also maintained an impressive economy rate of 4.18 and a strike rate of 11.87, underscoring his dominance with the ball in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.
In a conversation with ANI, former Indian batting maestro Mohammad Kaif highlighted Jasprit Bumrah’s pivotal role in Team India’s triumph at the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Kaif emphasized that Bumrah’s contributions were crucial to India’s success throughout the tournament. Reflecting on the opening clash against Pakistan, where India successfully defended a target of 199 runs, Kaif dissected the match to underscore Bumrah’s impact and how his performance set the tone for India’s campaign in the competition.
“The biggest factor was Jasprit Bumrah. No one can deny that. Bumrah’s arrival was the biggest factor for the team. If we talk about Pakistan’s match, which was defended by 119. Pakistan’s match was very big,” he said.
“Pakistan’s defeat gives confidence to the team. Bumrah played a big role in that match. Bumrah defended 119 and dismissed Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Iftikhar Ahmed”, the fielding legend added.
Kaif observed that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Shami had faced challenges against Australia’s Travis Head in previous encounters. However, in the recent match, Head couldn’t make a significant impact. Kaif attributed this to Bumrah’s ability to dismiss key opposition players, highlighting his knack for delivering crucial breakthroughs when needed.
“Bumrah bundled out all the main players. Bumrah has that quality. After Pakistan’s defeat, there was a good feeling inside the team. Bumrah’s role was very good. Bumrah and Mohammad Shami have faced Travis Head again and again. Bumrah was beaten many times”, he added. Have a look at the complete video below.
Kaif also emphasized that team cohesion naturally emerges from strong performances and victories, particularly with players like Bumrah and Kohli in the dressing room who have a history of winning. He pointed out that Bumrah’s presence in recent tournaments has been instrumental, highlighting his role in shaping the team dynamics and boosting their overall performance.
“People say that Bumrah talked about team bonding. But that comes from winning. Team bonding is not like that. Team bonding comes from playing well. When I see the match winners in the dressing room, I see Virat Kohli and Bumrah in the squad. Bumrah was not there before,” he concluded.
Interestingly, the Indian pacer endured a back injury that kept him sidelined for nearly 11 months. During his absence, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, and other pacers stepped up to shoulder responsibilities in the pace department.
