IND vs PAK: Jasprit Bumrah Reveals India's Shocking Stand On Net Run Rate Factor In ICC World Cup 2023

India fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has said the team was not focusing on the net run rate during the game against Afghanistan. Team India and Afghanistan locked horns against each other at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Wednesday (October 11) in the ninth match of the ongoing ICC World Cup 2023.

Batting first, Afghanistan scored a competitive total of 272 for 8 in the allotted 50 overs. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi top-scored for his side, scoring 80 while Azmatullah Omarzai also played a crucial knock of 62 runs. For India, Jasprit Bumrah starred with the ball, taking 4 for 39 in his 10 overs on a tough pitch for bowling.

In reply, Team India made a mockery of the competitive total posted by Afghanistan. It took the Men in Blue just 35 overs to chase down the 273-run target. Captain Rohit Sharma blew Afghanistan away by smashing a 63-ball ton which is now the fastest World Cup century by an India. He was eventually dismissed for 131. Virat Kohli also scored an unbeaten fifty to take the team home with as many as 15 overs to spare.

Jasprit Bumrah on net run-rate:

The way Rohit Sharma came out all guns blazing and looked in a hurry to finish the game, it looked like Team India wanted to enhance their net run-rate which could be very vital in the latter stage of the competition. However, Jasprit Bumrah has said that there was no discussion regarding the net run rate before the chase began.

“Not at all. We are not looking at it from the beginning (of the tournament. (Besides) we did not know that Rohit would give us such a headstart,” Jasprit Bumrah told reporters. “I don’t think we had any such conversation so early in the tournament. Really happy with the way the game went and we finished it off.”

When asked about his impressive performance on a flat track, the India pacer said: “Look, I’m not result-oriented. Just because I’ve taken four wickets that doesn’t mean I’m very, very happy or I’ve done something extraordinary.

“I just go with my preparation. I go with the processes that I feel is right. I try to read the wicked and try to find the best answers,” he added.

India’s next game is against arch-rivals Pakistan. The match is scheduled to be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Saturday (October 14).