The premier Indian fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah feels that it has been a huge learning for him in his first tour of New Zealand after returning with magical figures of 3 for 12 in the fifth and final T20I on Sunday. India whitewashed the Blackcaps 5-0 with Bumrah playing a key role in the final encounter as the visitors defended the 164-run target.
After receiving the man of the match award, Bumrah said, “The match got close at one point but we had a belief that if we can squeeze in one or two good overs, the match can get close. It was windy, I was trying to use the wind and the longer side of the boundary. Very happy with the learnings, different ground dimensions, first time in New Zealand; great result.”
Returning from a stressful back injury, Bumrah looked out of form at the start of the series and was smashed all-over the park by Kane Williamson in the third T20I. But the pacer was at his best on Sunday as he gave no window to sneak in for the Kiwi batsmen and executed his yorkers to perfection too.
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Indian pace attack led by Bumrah bowled like a unit that helped the men in blue to register an unprecedented series whitewash with a seven-run victory against New Zealand. With the series already in the bag after they won the first four matches of the five-match series, Virat Kohli took the rest and handed the captaincy reins to Rohit Sharma. India, electing to bat, rode on Rohit’s fifty to post 163/3 in 20 overs.
Rohit had to retire hurt on 60 off 41 deliveries (3×4, 3×6) after he suffered from cramps. He did not come out to the field as KL Rahul led the team in the second innings. Chasing 164 for victory, New Zealand could manage 156/9 in 20 overs despite hitting Shivam Dube for 34 runs in one over.
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The Indian pace trio of Bumrah, Navdeep Saini (2/23) and Shardul Thakur (2/38) managed to restrict the hosts and finally took India over the line. Now, the men in blue will be playing a three-match ODI series against the Kiwi with the first game scheduled to be played at the Seddon Park in Hamilton on Wednesday.
