One of the key reasons for Mumbai Indians’ poor performance this season that led to them not qualifying for the Play Offs is Jasprit Bumrah not taking wickets upfront or in the end. With Bumrah picking up only five wickets in MI’s first 10 matches, that rarely gave MI chances of a win, though there have been other factors including their batsmen’s inconsistency.
And, even with Bumrah picking up wickets, MI batting was a complete disappointment as they suffered a 52-run humiliation at the hands of Kolkata Knight Riders on Monday.
At DY Patil Stadium, the cricketing world saw Bumrah at his best and why he is still regarded as one of the most feared bowlers in world cricket. Bumrah took his career-best IPL figures of five for 10, and fifth all-time best figures in the 15-year league history, to restrict Kolkata Knight Riders to 165 for nine.
Bumrah took two wickets in his second over, the 15th of the innings, and three in his third (innings’ 18th) that was also a maiden. In his fourth, the 28-year-old Mumbai Indians’ stalwart conceded only one run as KKR’s Rinku Singh kept the strike and refused to take singles and expose No. 11 Varun Chakravarthy to the fearsome pacer.
Bumrah did not open the bowling but was introduced into the attack in the fourth over. His first ball was steered to third man for four by KKR opener Ajinkya Rahane. That was the only boundary Bumrah gave as it was all either dot balls –18 in all – or wickets from his second over.
Off the first ball of his second over, Bumrah bowled a yorker that has been one of his deadly weapons. It was a near perfect toe-crusher and Andre Russell was equal to the task to block it in the nick of time. However, Russell fell off the next ball, pulling a short ball straight to Kieron Pollard at long-on. In the same over, Bumrah bowled a top quality bouncer to left-handed Nitish Rana, who while evading it, ended up gloving to wicketkeeper.
Bumrah was unstoppable on the day as he had three wickets in four balls in his third over, Sheldon Jackson, one of the five changes that KKR made to their playing 11 on the day, pulled to deep mid-wicket, where Daniel Sams covered some distance before pulling off a nice catch. Bumrah’s next victim, Pat Cummins, who destroyed the same MI with the bat in their previous encounter in Pune by making a 15-ball 56 not out, did not connect a pull shot well and Tilak Verma accepted the offering gleefully at mid-wicket. Off the next delivery, a fiery Bumrah bowled into Sunil Narine’s body and got a simple catch in return.
With five wickets in 11 deliveries and conceding only four runs in the middle of a dream spell, all eyes were on Bumrah to take the final wicket when he came to bowl the innings’ last over. Had he taken the sixth without conceding any further run, Bumrah would have had the all-time best IPL bowling figures, which now is with Alzarri Joseph (6 for 12 for Mumbai Indians against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2019).
Keeping aside personal records, Bumrah brought the cheer in the MI camp that has been missing for a majority of this IPL. Though his brilliant performance has no bearing on MI's Play Offs chances, it is better late than never. Bumrah, though named man of the match, would have been happier had his batsmen supported him rather than bow out without a fight.
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