In the ancient city of Lucknow, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 featured a thrilling match between cricketing giants, India and England. Fans were glued to their seats during this high-stakes match as they watched an incredible exhibition of brilliance and an astounding 100-run triumph by India.
Undoubtedly, Jasprit Bumrah was the winner of this suspenseful match. His performance was outstanding and cemented his place among the best fast bowlers in the world. India’s resounding victory was largely due to Bumrah’s outstanding performance of taking three significant wickets for only 32 runs.
Cricketing luminaries were aware of Jasprit Bumrah’s remarkable skill and control with the new ball. Wasim Akram, a former master of Pakistani pace bowling, lavished admiration on Bumrah for his extraordinary abilities. Akram even said that Bumrah’s mastery of the new ball outclassed even his best performances.
Wasim Akram heaps praise on Jasprit Bumrah
He said: “When Bumrah is bowling to a left-hander from around the wicket and hits the ball on the seam… And when he’s bowling from wide of the crease, the batter will think the ball is coming inside. He will play for that angle, but the ball hits the pitch and moves away rather than coming in. Most of the time, you are going to be beaten. When I used to bowl outswingers like that to right-handed batters with the new ball, sometimes I couldn’t control the ball also. But Bumrah definitely has better control with the new ball than myself,”
Akram continued to express his adoration, saying, “He is the best in the world right now. Top of the ladder! The control, the pace, the variations, just a complete bowler. A treat to watch. With the new ball, to get this kind of movement on this kind of pitch … pace, carry, follow-through… you name it he’s a complete bowler.”
Bumrah is unique in that he can swing the ball both ways, confusing batters with his quick speed and accurate line and lengths. Because of his unparalleled accuracy with the new ball, batters face a special task. He stands out from his peers in the cricketing world with this degree of control, which is uncommon.
Akram added: “I used to bowl outswingers like that to right-handed batters with the new ball, and sometimes I couldn’t control the ball too. However, Bumrah definitely has more control than I do with the new ball.”
Though Bumrah played a significant role, India’s victory in the intense match against England was the product of teamwork. The Indian side defended its 229-run total by consistently applying pressure to the English batsmen and playing excellent fielding.
