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Former cricketer Anil Kumble believes Jasprit Bumrah's adaptability and unique skill-set are crucial for India's T20 World Cup success. Bumrah's stellar performance (3/14) secured India's thrilling six-run victory against Pakistan.
On a challenging two-paced track, India's pace attack, led by Bumrah and Hardik Pandya (2/24), brought them back into the game. Kumble highlighted Bumrah's crucial wickets of Mohammad Rizwan (15th over) and Iftikhar Ahmed (19th over), particularly praising his ability to restrict runs in pressure situations.
"Look at the 15th over where he dismissed Rizwan, then the 19th. If he'd conceded boundaries then, the last over would have been too easy for Pakistan. But with 18-19 runs needed, it became impossible for the tail to chase that on this pitch," explained Kumble on ESPNCricinfo.
Kumble considers Bumrah India's undisputed number one bowler across formats, regardless of the pitch.
"Jasprit Bumrah should be your automatic pick, forget the format. Even on a tough pitch like this, his variations and ability to create pressure are unmatched," he said. "Any batter facing Bumrah knows it's a challenge, and on surfaces like this, he just builds the pressure relentlessly."