One short of a 500-run aggregate, with 73 boundaries — a record in a T20 World Cup match — and economy rates of bowlers going through the roof: that was the flattest of pitches at the medium-sized Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday.
The second semifinal – India vs England was the epitome of ‘a batsmen’s game’ till the start of 18th over of England’s chase. England required 45 runs from 18 balls; one skyscraper on the run chart and it was curtains for India.
Enter Jasprit Bumrah, the freak of a genius who possesses variations to bewilder an elite poker player. But Bumrah didn’t go for showbiz. He was audaciously simple, a yorker-delivering metronome. Captain Suryakumar Yadav’s last throw of the dice was as safe as a bank. Bumrah’s six balls cost India just six runs when under the pump in a knockout game in which both teams scored at over 12 runs an over.
Certainly, this wasn’t the perfect over. Three attempted yorkers, two to Sam Curran and one to Jacob Bethell, were hittable for boundaries on the leg-side. The last ball of the 18th over was in fact an example of how England missed out. The well-set Bethell, with 95 off 43, tentatively pushed a dipping leg-side ball to deep midwicket for a single.
But the threat of Bumrah in the death overs is like a sword hanging over a batsman’s head. They fear the worst, guard against him and hope and pray for the best.
The Bumrah over, like oftentimes, was make-or-break for both teams.
India’s gameplan
Suryakumar had two other frontline bowling options for the last three overs. Hardik Pandya, who had bowled three of the first seven overs in the England innings, as Bumrah was preserved for later on the belter of a pitch, and left-arm spinner Axar Patel, hit for 15 runs in his third over, the 13th of the innings. With Varun Chakaravarthy, his mystery demystified during the course of this World Cup, having another off day, the Indian captain could only hope despite the damage being done by Bethell, a run-cushion would remain when he reintroduced Bumrah for his final act.
England’s gameplan
Like Suryakumar, Bethell and Curran, would have wished for the cards to fall in their favour when Bumrah began his run-up. England’s strategy was no secret. Bat safely against Bumrah and target the other Indian bowlers in the last two overs. The strategy was fraught with risk. They could get too defensive against Bumrah and risk having too many to score off 12 balls. What if another Indian bowler produced a good over?
As it happened Bumrah bowled the 18th, Pandya the 19th (just nine runs and the wicket of Curran) and Shivam Dube was chosen over Axar for the final over with England needing 30 runs from six balls — beyond even the Bazballers.
Inevitable outcome
Bethell and Curran had prepared for the inevitable Bumrah over but they didn’t have a plan to find boundaries or if they had one it withered at the sight of him trotting in. Both batsmen were rooted deep in the crease expecting the yorker. Fair enough because the Bumrah yorker is as deadly as they come. There was no big shuffle to put Bumrah in two minds from the batters, no side steps to break his rhythm, no moving down the track even a wee bit but only a self-defeating lack of intent even when Bumrah erred slightly.
The safety-first approach of Bethell-Curran was probably linked to England captain Harry Brook’s dismissal. Walking in at No.3, Brook, hoping to take Bumrah by the horns, misread a slower ball, lost his batting balance and was brilliantly caught in the deep by Axar Patel.
Bumrah bowled from over the wicket to Bethell and Curran, both left-handers. He wasn’t always accurate. Of the last three attempted yorkers, two were full tosses. England batsmen, however, gave the impression of playing the bowler rather than the ball.
But the first three, all delivered with the trademark snap of the wrist, were very good. The third yorker to Bethell was top class, slightly floaty, tailing into middle stump, targeting the blockhole and delivered with an even more pronounced snap. Will the ball dart in, move away; will it be a slower ball or will the backspin Bumrah generates make the ball lighting quick and skid through?
Safe to say both Bethell and Curran couldn’t second guess Bumrah in the 18th over.
There was no wow ball, no stump went cartwheeling, no wicket fell, no searing yorker sneaked through. This was Bumrah delivering a bloodless haymaker. Crucial over aced, Bumrah bent over with his hands on his knees and looked into the distance with relief.
Man of the match Sanju Samson (89 from 42 balls) paid Bumrah a classy compliment. “I think this award should go to him.”