Over the last four years, Jasprit Bumrah — ‘Boom’ in the Mumbai Indians change room — has been synonymous with absorbing the pressure of bowling in the death overs.
The unorthodox bowler couldn't have asked for a better situation than Wednesday to display his artistry and ability to excel under pressure.
After all, Mumbai Indians was defending a target at the Wankhede against a dangerous Kings XI Punjab. But K.L. Rahul and Aaron Finch's willow work turned out to be futile primarily due to Bumrah's bowling.
The pacer's return of three for 15 in four overs was instrumental in Mumbai Indians pulling off a three-run win and keeping itself in the race for a place in the playoffs.
“I was backing my plan and I had the belief that if I'll be able to bowl a good over. You always want to bowl a good over, but some days it doesn't go your way because of the position where I bowl it is difficult, and especially at this ground with the dew it is always difficult.
“So I was just backing myself and having clarity is very important for me,” Bumrah said after his Man-of-the-Match-winning effort.
In fact, every time Rohit Sharma needed to pull things back, he turned to Bumrah. Bumrah bowled the second over of the chase, conceding just one run. When Rahul and Finch were set to cut loose, Bumrah returned for the 12th over and granted only four singles.
With Kings XI requiring 42 off four overs, Sharma threw the ball to Bumrah again and the lanky bowler responded by dismissing Finch and Marcus Stoinis in the 17th.
Bumrah then completed a superlative performance by dismissing Rahul in the penultimate over to give Mitchell McClenaghan plenty of breathing space in the final over.
“It was not that when we got wickets (off the bouncers), we were not looking to take wickets. Because I wanted to create pressure, wanted to give as few runs as I could (to defend) to Mitchell in the last over,” Bumrah said.
In a high-scoring match, the fact that Bumrah didn't concede a boundary in his four overs was a stupendous feat. As Mumbai Indians travel to New Delhi for its last league game, the bowler and the team would be hoping for him to repeat his heroics against Rishabh Pant and Co.
