Former India head coach Ravi Shastri has lavished praise on Jasprit Bumrah, calling him a magician with the ball and naming him the best bowler of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 for his outstanding performances in India’s title-winning campaign.
Shastri highlighted two key moments: India’s vital 6-run win over Pakistan in the group stage and their thrilling 7-run victory in the final against South Africa. During their Group A match against Pakistan, India defended a modest total of 119 to clinch a close six-run victory.
Ravi Shastri hails Jasprit Bumrah as the best bowler of T20 World Cup 2024
Bumrah was pivotal by dismissing the dangerous Mohammad Rizwan, which dramatically altered the game’s momentum and led to Pakistan’s collapse from 80/3. This was Shastri’s favorite moment of the tournament.
In the T20 World Cup 2024 final in Barbados, Bumrah delivered a crucial over against South Africa, giving away just four runs in the 16th over and dismissing the powerful Marco Jansen. This performance shifted the game in India’s favor, helping the Men in Blue secure the championship. Shastri also considered this as his favorite moment involving Bumrah.
Ravi Shastri said in the ICC Review: “Jasprit Bumrah just showed the world what it takes…and you know, it’s not often in your career when you have a ball in your hand and you say, ‘do this and the ball does that’.”
Speaking about his favorite moment, Shastri noted: “I’d say one was Jasprit getting rid of Mohammad Rizwan. Extremely crucial because that could have tilted the balance of the game. Then, brought it back into the attack and got it to reverse and sneak through the bat and pad of Marco Jansen. It was a very, very important wicket.”
Ravi Shastri compares Jasprit Bumrah with legends Shane Warne, Wasim Akram, and Waqar Younis
Meanwhile, Shastri compared Bumrah with legendary bowlers like the late Shane Warne of Australia, Wasim Akram, and Waqar Younis, both from Pakistan, for his ability to turn the game in the team’s favor in any situation.
The star pacer was named ‘Player of the Tournament’ for his outstanding performance, taking 15 wickets at an average of 8.26 at the T20 World Cup 2024. Shastri signed off by saying, “Very few have done it (change the flow of the game). I thought Wasim (Akram) and Waqar (Younis) had it in their prime when they played white-ball cricket.
Shane Warne had it where he could tell the ball to go there, pitch there, and hit the leg stump. People who are on top of the game have that ability. I think Bumrah had that in this World Cup.”
Earlier, the legendary former India all-rounder Kapil Dev said that Bumrah is now a “thousand times better” bowler than him compared to his prime years. Kapil Dev told PTI: “Bumrah is 1000 times better than me. These young boys are far better than us. We had more experience. They are better.”
Notably, Bumrah is currently on break since winning the T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies, resting for the ongoing white-ball series in Sri Lanka. He is likely to return for the upcoming Test series against Bangladesh at home.
