Jasprit Bumrah Makes T20 World Cup History, Surpasses Lasith Malinga
Jasprit Bumrah Makes T20 World Cup History, Surpasses Lasith Malinga
India's pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah etched his name deeper into cricketing history on Sunday, delivering a spell for the ages to power India to their third ICC Men's T20 World Cup title. At a roaring Narendra Modi Stadium, Bumrah dismantled New Zealand's chase with a devastating four-wicket haul, becoming the first fast bowler ever to take a four-fer in a T20 World Cup knockout match.
His figures of 4/15 not only broke new ground in the tournament's history but also helped India seal a crushing 96-run victory in the final. The milestone also saw Bumrah surpass Sri Lankan great Lasith Malinga to become the most successful pacer in T20 World Cup history.
Record-Breaking Performance
Bumrah now has 40 wickets in just 26 matches, overtaking Malinga's tally of 38 wickets from 31 games. Only a handful of spinners, including Shakib Al Hasan who leads the charts with 50 scalps, sit above him overall. Bumrah's economy rate of 5.66 stands out remarkably compared to Malinga's 7.43.
The final itself turned into a showcase of India's dominance. Batting first after New Zealand opted to field, India piled up a massive 255/5 — the highest total ever in a T20 World Cup final. A blistering 52 off 21 balls from Abhishek Sharma set the tone before a spectacular innings from Sanju Samson (89) anchored the assault.
Dominant Victory
Samson forged crucial partnerships, including a century stand with Ishan Kishan, who smashed 54 off 25 deliveries. Late fireworks from Shivam Dube ensured India crossed the 250-run mark with ease.
Chasing an imposing 256, New Zealand never recovered after Bumrah and Axar Patel struck early. Patel grabbed three wickets while Bumrah ripped through the middle order as the Kiwis slumped to 72/5. A fighting 52 from Tim Seifert briefly revived hopes, but the chase soon collapsed under relentless pressure. New Zealand were eventually bowled out for 159, handing India a historic triumph.
Tournament Caps Extraordinary Campaign
For Bumrah, the tournament capped another extraordinary campaign. He finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 14 scalps, matching Varun Chakravarthy, and once again underlined why he remains one of the most feared bowlers in world cricket.
"Four-fers in T20 World Cup knockouts are rare achievements," notes the record, with only Ajantha Mendis (4/12 vs WI in 2012 final) and Shadab Khan (4/26 vs AUS in 2021 SF) having accomplished similar feats before Bumrah's 4/15 against New Zealand.
The victory marks India's third T20 World Cup title and solidifies Bumrah's legacy as one of the greatest fast bowlers in the shortest format of the game.