"Jasprit Bumrah would still have won, not sure about Virat Kohli" - Ex-KKR Team Director
Published - 04 Jul 2024, 04:03 PM | Updated - 04 Jul 2024, 04:28 PM
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Former Kolkata Knight Riders team director Joy Bhattacharjya praised India's ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah and took a dig at Virat Kohli for their performance in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Joy Bhattacharjya said that Jasprit Bumrah would have won the "Player of the Tournament" award even if India had failed to secure victory in the final match.
The Rohit Sharma-led team remained undefeated throughout the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA). The Men in Blue secured a seven-run victory over South Africa in a thrilling match in Barbados on June 9. The Indian team secured their second T20 World Cup trophy.
Jasprit Bumrah played a pivotal role in India's T20 World Cup-winning campaign. The right-arm pacer led the Indian bowling attack effectively throughout the tournament. He finished as the third-highest wicket-taker with 15 wickets in eight matches at an exceptional economy rate of 4.18 in the marquee event.
The Indian stalwart delivered a crucial performance in the final clash of the recently concluded T20 World Cup. Bumrah conceded just 18 runs and picked up two wickets in four overs during the final match against South Africa. It marked his first ICC trophy after missing out on opportunities in previous years.
How Good Was Jasprit Bumrah In This World Cup - Joy Bhattacharjya
Joy Bhattacharjya said that even if Suryakumar Yadav hadn't taken a crucial catch and India lost, Jasprit Bumrah would have won Player of the Tournament. Bhattacharjya stated that Heinrich Klaasen would have won Player of the Match if South Africa managed to win against the Rohit Sharma-led team in the final.
"How good was Bumrah in this WC? Lets think of it this way, if SKY had not taken the catch & India lost the match, the winning team would have changed & the POTM would have probably gone to Klassen for changing the course of the game. But Bumrah would still have won Player of the Tournament," Joy Bhattacharjya wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
South Africa seemed poised to win their first title in the T20 World Cup final. The Aiden Markram-led team needed 30 runs to win off the last five overs. However, the Indian bowlers made a strong comeback. Suryakumar Yadav took David Miller's catch while defending 16 runs in the final over of the game.
However, the Indian team was stranded in Barbados due to Hurricane Beryl, which led to the closure of the airport and flight cancellations. They remained in Barbados for three days until flights resumed. The team, coaching staff, and journalists arrived in New Delhi on the morning of Thursday, July 4.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hosted the victorious Indian T20 World Cup 2024 squad at his residence, 7, Lok Kalyan Marg in Delhi around 11 AM IST on Thursday. Later in the day, the team will embark on a victory parade from Nariman Point to Wankhede Stadium, starting at 4 PM IST.
