Jasprit Bumrah has started off brilliantly as the interim T20I skipper as India sealed the 3-T20I series against Ireland with an unassailable 2-0 lead in Dublin.
Following a close 2-run win in the 1st T20I, India recorded a thumping 33-run victory in the 2nd T20I on Sunday to take another bilateral series in their pocket.
Rinku Singh starred with the bat for India, giving a late flourish filled with eye-catching sixes. In his maiden T20I innings, Rinku smashed 38 runs off 21 balls with the help of 3 sixes and 2 sixes, delighting the crowd assembled in Dublin.
His knock, along with a steady half-century from Ruturaj Gaikwad and a late blitz from Shivam Dube as well helped India post a massive total of 184. Ireland managed 152 in reply.
With the ball, for India, captain Jasprit Bumrah, lanky pacer Prasidh Krishna, and leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi picked two wickets each while Arshdeep Singh snapped one wicket.
Jasprit Bumrah returned with sensational figures of 4-1-15-2. To the astonishment of everyone, that maiden was the last over, that is the 20th over, of Ireland’s innings. Rarely in T20 cricket does the last over of an innings is a maiden, and Jasprit Bumrah made it happen today.
He snapped the wickets of all-rounders Mark Adair and Barry McCarthy, both caught in the deep on the leg-side, one by Bishnoi and the other by Tilak Varma.
Coming from a long-term back injury, Jasprit Bumrah seems to be getting to his best. He had picked up two wickets in the first over in the 1st T20I on his return and today he picked two more wickets in the death overs.
Jasprit Bumrah in the 17th & 20th over:
1, 0, 1, W, 1, 1, 0, 0, 0, W, 0, B4 including a wicket maiden in the final over
Watch: Jasprit Bumrah’s 2 wickets in 2nd T20I
Jasprit Bumrah's 💥 spell is 𝘔𝘖𝘖𝘖𝘖𝘋 😍#IREvIND #JioCinema #Sports18 #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/dixBumib36
— JioCinema (@JioCinema) August 20, 2023
Speaking at the post-match press conference captain Bumrah was all smiles, happy with his team and his own performances.
“I am feeling good. Today was a little drier. We thought it would get slower and hence batted first. It is very pleasing. It is tough to pick an XI. Great headache to have. Everyone is eager. Everyone is confident. All of us wanted to play for India. Eventually, everyone has to work their way up. If you play with a baggage of expectation, you are under pressure. You have to keep those expectations aside. You are not doing yourself 100 percent justice if you are playing with so many expectations,” he said.
