In India’s T20 World Cup final against New Zealand, two players stood out – Sanju Samson with the bat and Jasprit Bumrah with the ball. Samson scored 89 runs to help India post a mammoth score of 255/5 in 20 overs. Later, Bumrah took four wickets and New Zealand fell 96 runs short of the target.
Samson was named Player of the Tournament after scoring three consecutive half-centuries in the Super 8 stage. However, former South Africa star AB de Villiers believes Bumrah might be more deserving of the award.
“The score between Sanju Samson and Bumrah is very, very close. Why am I mentioning Bumrah? He is the best wicket-taker, so he is in the running for the Player of the Tournament. But for me, some of the key moments and key overs he bowled make me feel like maybe he should be mentioned more there. Should be closer,” de Villiers said on his YouTube channel.
“But anyway, Sanju Samson – what a game he had! He made the most of it. It’s not easy to bowl fast bowlers in India, unless you’re Jasprit Bumrah. Even the few overs he had during the tournament cost him dearly.
“But when it mattered most in the semi-finals and the final, he bowled crazy deliveries. I have never seen anything like it. He can bat, but when it matters, the guy hits a different gear and he goes to a different planet. He is an incredible performer and an asset to Indian cricket.”
Jasprit Bumrah created history by becoming the first fast bowler to take four wickets in a T20 World Cup knockout match. He also surpassed Lasith Malinga to become the leading fast bowler in the history of the tournament.
Before Bumrah, only two spinners had taken 4 wickets in a T20 World Cup knockout match – Ajantha Mendis (4/12 against West Indies in the 2012 final) and Shadab Khan (4/26 against Australia in the 2021 semi-final). Bumrah is now the third bowler to achieve this feat.