Jasprit Bumrah rose to 4th and Kuldeep Yadav to 6th in India’s all-time T20I wicket-takers during the Asia Cup clash vs Pakistan. Bumrah (2/28) and Kuldeep (3/18) starred as India restricted Pakistan to 127/9, setting up a target of 128 to chase.
Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah overtook Bhuvneshwar Kumar to become the team’s fourth-highest wicket-taker in T20I cricket. Bumrah achieved this feat during his side’s Asia Cup clash against Pakistan at Dubai. ‘Jassi Bhai’ was solid with the ball, picking up two wickets for 28 runs in four overs at an economy rate of 7.00. His wicket-tally included wicketkeeper-batter Mohammed Haris and Sufiyan Muqeem.
Now in 72 T20Is, Bumrah has taken 92 wickets at an average of 17.67, with an economy rate of an astonishing 6.29, with best figures of 3/7. He has overtaken Bhuvneshwar (90 wickets in 87 matches). Above Bumrah are: Hardik Pandya (95 wickets in 116 matches), spinner Yuzi Chahal (96 wickets in 80 matches), and left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh (99 runs in 63 matches).
Kuldeep Yadav makes a jump in India’s T20I wicket-takers list
Also, spinner Kuldeep Yadav continued his fine performances against Pakistan, with a brilliant spell of 3/18, taking wickets of Sahibzada Farhan, Hassan Nawaz, and Mohammed Nawaz. He also overtook Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin to become India’s sixth-most successful bowler in T20Is, with 76 wickets in 42 matches at an average of 13.10, economy rate 6.66, including a best spell of 5/17.
Now in eight international fixtures against Pakistan, he has 18 wickets in eight matches at an average of 12.66, with best figures of 5/25.
Axar himself overtook Ashwin, becoming India’s seventh-most successful T20I bowler, with his two wickets of Fakhar Zaman and captain Salman Agha. He has 74 wickets in 73 matches at an average of 21.64, with best figures of 3/9.
Axar also completed his 200 international wickets, reaching 201 runs in 155 matches at an average of 25.06, with his best figures of 6/38, including five five-wicket hauls and a ten-wicket haul.
India to chase 128-run target
Coming to the match, Pakistan won the toss and opted to bat first and were reduced to 6/2. A 39-run stand between Sahibzada Farhan (40 in 44 balls, with a four and three sixes) and Fakhar Zaman (17 in 15 balls, with three fours) stabilised the innings a bit, but India reduced Pakistan to 97/8. A late blitz from Shaheen Shah Afridi (33* in 16 balls, with four sixes) took them to 127/9 in 20 overs.
Kuldeep was the pick of the bowlers for India, with Axar and Bumrah getting two wickets. Hardik got one wicket. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)