Jasprit Bumrah Backs Umesh Yadav After Loss In First T20I

Jasprit Bumrah has leapt in defence of his teammate Umesh Yadav after the latter failed to defend 14 runs in the final over of the first T20I against Australia. The visitors won a last-ball thriller, scoring two runs off the final ball to take an unbeatable 1-0 lead in the two-T20I series.

The game looked as good as over for India when they finished their innings on a modest 126 for 7. However, the bowlers, led by Bumrah, came up with a fine show to help India claw their way back into the game. The equation was finally down to 16 off the last two overs. Bumrah then delivered a breathtaking 19th over. He conceded just two runs while dismissing Peter Handscomb and Nathan Coulter-Nile to put India on top.

Australia win a thriller here at Vizag

Win by 3 wickets in the 1st T20I https://t.co/qKQdie3Ayg #INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/hMwOZbWjY2

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 24, 2019

The onus was now on Umesh Yadav to defend 14 runs in the final over. With Pat Cummins and Jhye Richardson in the middle, Yadav was expected to win the game for India. However, the pacer conceded two fours and two singles as Richardson and Cummins pulled off a thrilling win for the visitors.

Speaking at the end of the game, Bumrah defended Yadav, saying that there was nothing to be worried about.

“It always goes both ways. When you bowl a last over in a close game, it is sometimes 50-50. You try your best, you’re always clear in your execution, some days it works, some days it doesn’t. Nothing to be worried about.

“Yes, we wanted to close the game in our favour but it’s okay, this happens as death bowling a little difficult in any situation,” Bumrah said at the post-match press conference.

Bumrah further spoke about what went through his mind before he bowled that 19th over, saying:

“Not a lot, just focussing on what my strengths are and what the wicket is because the wicket was a little difficult to bat on, it was not a wicket you could score heavily on, to play big shots on this sluggish wicket was a little difficult. So I was just figuring out what my options were and was looking to execute them.”

India will be looking to square the series when they take on the visitors in the second and final game in Bengaluru on February 27.