India Defeats Pakistan, Jasprit Bumrah Becomes 3rd Highest Wicket Taker for India in T20I

In a nail-biting match of the T20 World Cup played in New York, India defeated its arch rival Pakistan on Sunday.

Pakistan won the toss and put India to bat first. Indian star openers Virat Kohli (4) and Rohit Sharma (13) failed to score big. Rishabh Pant (42 in 31 balls, with six fours) had useful partnerships with Axar Patel (20 in 18 balls, with two fours and a six) and Suryakumar Yadav (seven in eight balls, with a four). However, the lower middle order crumbled under the pressure and India could make just 119 in 19 overs.

Haris Rauf (3/21) and Naseem Shah (3/21) were the top bowlers for Pakistan. Mohammed Amir got two wickets while Shaheen Shah Afridi got one.

In the run-chase, Pakistan’s Mohammed Rizwan (31 in 44 balls, with a four and six) held one end steady. However, Bumrah (3/14) and Hardik Pandya (2/24) got crucial wickets of skipper Babar Azam (13), Fakhar Zaman (13), Shadab Khan (4), Iftikhar Ahmed (5) as well. With 18 runs needed in final over, Naseem Shah (10*) tried to win it for Pakistan, however, Arshdeep Singh (1/31) made sure Pakistan fell short by six runs.

Now India is at the top of Group A with two wins in two games and four points. Pakistan is in fourth place, having lost both their games to the USA and India.

Pacer Bumrah secured the ‘Player of the Match’ for his match-winning spell.

In this match, Jasprit Bumrah overtook all-rounder Hardik Pandya to become India’s third-highest wicket-taker in T20I cricket. In 64 T20Is, Bumrah has taken 79 wickets at an average of 18.67 and an economy rate of 6.44, with the best figures of 3/11. Hardik has 78 wickets in 94 T20Is with the best figures of 4/16.

The leading wicket-taker for India in the T20I format is the spin veteran Yuzvendra Chahal, who has taken 96 wickets in 80 games at an average of 25.09 and an economy rate of 8.19, with the best figures of 6/25. In second place is India’s swing specialist, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, who has 90 wickets in 87 matches at an average of 23.10 and an economy rate of 6.96, with the best figures of 5/4.

New Zealand’s pace veteran Tim Southee is the leading wicket-taker in T20I cricket, with 157 wickets in 123 matches at an average of 23.15 and an economy rate of 8.13, with the best figures of 5/13.