The last time India and New Zealand met before Sunday’s final, Finn Allen and Daryll Mitchell had targeted Jasprit Bumrah. That day in Thiruvananthapuram, Bumrah recorded his most expensive T20I figures of 0/58. It was a preparatory series game on a batting-friendly pitch where India scored 271. New Zealand, though losing, took confidence from successfully attacking India’s premier bowler.
In Sunday’s final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, the pitch was again a belter. India posted a mammoth 255 for 5. It was a massive chase, but the Kiwis would have fancied their chances against Bumrah and the Indian attack.
Bumrah, the smart operator, put that rare off day well behind him. He entered the World Cup a transformed bowler, leading the Indian attack with aplomb. He produced match-winning bursts consistently throughout the tournament.
On Sunday, he gave New Zealand no chance at all. Bumrah returned career-best T20I figures of 4 for 15. He bundled them out for 159 to seal a 96-run win and help India defend their T20 World Cup title.
His performance took his tournament tally to 14 wickets. That put him joint-top of the bowling charts alongside teammate Varun Chakravarthy.
The legendary pacer also made history. He became the highest wicket-taker among pacers in T20 World Cup history. His tally of 40 wickets surpassed the great Lasith Malinga’s record of 38.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav paid rich tributes to his bowling spearhead. He called Bumrah a once-in-a-generation bowler and a national treasure. Yadav stated Bumrah knows how it needs to be done and is the best in the business.
The World Cup win at his home ground helped bury the ghosts of the 2023 ODI World Cup final defeat. Bumrah expressed how special it felt after being named Player of the Final. He was motivated, clear, and knew exactly what he wanted to do on the flat wicket.
He used all his experience playing at the venue. Bumrah said it was a wonderful day where all his execution went as per plan. He felt really happy, grateful, and acknowledged that God is really kind.
The talismanic bowler had also played a key role in India’s semi-final win over England. Chasing 254, England needed 69 off the last five overs when the captain turned to his main bowler. India’s smiling assassin delivered twelve balls of pin-point death-over precision.
He bowled the 16th over for only eight runs and the 18th for just six. That tilt decisively swung the game in India’s favour.
In the final, he was in inspired form for his home crowd. Brought in to bowl the fourth over, Bumrah started with a slower cutter. His first ball had Rachin Ravindra holing out for 1, mirroring his dismissal of England’s captain in the semi-final.
He bowled an excellent sixth over as well. His powerplay figures were two overs for nine runs and one wicket.
Later, in the 16th over, Bumrah bamboozled James Neesham and Matt Henry with back-to-back slower deliveries. He was on a hat-trick. Next over, he produced a special yorker-length off-cutter to dismiss skipper Mitchell Santner.
Talking about his art, Bumrah explained his planning process. He learned from playing on belters that bowling too fast makes shot-making easier. The key is to keep being smart, change pace, and anticipate the batsman’s intent. Clarity during execution is everything.
Bumrah has consistently produced such excellent performances on the big stage. During India’s successful 2024 T20 World Cup run, he was the Player of the Tournament. At the team’s felicitation, Virat Kohli summed up his value, asking for applause for the man who brought India back again and again.
Two years later, India’s leading pacer had the same monumental impact. Jasprit Bumrah contributed decisively to another title win for the team.