"Don’t talk about him": Kapil Dev’s blunt remark on Jasprit Bumrah

1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev showered praise on the Indian team following the victory over England in the semifinal of the T20 World Cup 2026. Dev praised Bumrah's exceptional bowling under pressure and Sanju Samson's incredible form ahead of the final against New Zealand.

Jasprit Bumrah delivered a match-defining spell in the second semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, March 5. The hosts secured a seven-run victory to advance to the final. Samson was named Player of the Match for his knock of 89 off 42 balls, including eight fours and seven sixes.

He Truly Deserves All the Respect - Kapil Dev on Jasprit Bumrah

On the sidelines of The 72 League, Kapil Dev heaped massive praise on Jasprit Bumrah for his consistent match-winning performances. He stated that the 32-year-old speedster is currently the best bowler on the planet because of his unique ability to handle extreme pressure situations.

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"I think he's the number one bowler in the world," Kapil Dev said. "You don't even have to talk about him—he's the best. And he’s the best because of how he performs under pressure and the way he bowls. I think he truly deserves all the respect and love from everyone," the legendary all-rounder added.

Sanju Samson Is a Brilliant Cricketer - Kapil Dev

Kapil Dev also shared his thoughts on the Indian batting lineup. Dev called Sanju Samson a brilliant cricketer following his match-winning knock. The former captain also backed young opener Abhishek Sharma to find his form.

"Well, he's (Sanju Samson) a brilliant cricketer," Kapil said. "Yes, a big player can go off target sometimes, like what happened to Abhishek, but if they are big, they are big—they will come back."

"And Abhishek should believe in himself that I can perform, and I will perform. There’s still one match left—the final. Yes, individuals are important, but when your team wins, that’s what matters," he concluded.

VIDEO | On the sidelines of The 72 League, 1983 World Cup winning captain, Kapil Dev says, "I think he's (Jasprit Bumrah) the number one bowler in the world. You don't even have to talk about him—he's the best. And he’s the best because of how he performs under pressure and the… pic.twitter.com/2cBOu0ttDv

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 6, 2026

Jasprit Bumrah Delivers an Exceptional Spell in a High-Scoring Thriller

The Wankhede Stadium provided a placid and a belter of a wicket, where almost every bowler was taken to the cleaners. India put up a mammoth total of 253/7 after being sent in to bat first, but England put up a very tough fight. Jacob Bethell played a knock of 105 off 48 balls, but they finished at 246/7.

Jasprit Bumrah delivered an exceptional and economical bowling spell. He returned impressive figures of 1/33 from his four overs at an economy of 8.2. He also took the crucial wicket of England skipper Harry Brook.

England needed 48 runs off the last three overs during the chase. However, Bumrah bowled a crucial 18th over under massive pressure and gave away just six runs.

Jasprit Bumrah will next return to action when the Men in Blue take on New Zealand in the final scheduled for Sunday, March 8, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The star pacer has taken 10 wickets in seven games at an incredible average of 15.90 and an economy of 6.62.

Also read: Rohit Sharma secretly spies on into Jay Shah's phone during IND vs ENG semi-final