Playing Jasprit Bumrah in death overs is always hard, says Australia captain Aaron Finch

Indian fans were convinced that with a target of 127, Australia would not find much trouble in walking away with the first T20I in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. The Kangaroos did eventually gain the initial lead in the series game but it was not as easy. They also lost seven wickets like India and tasted victory on the final delivery of the match to go 1-0 up. And the man who led the Indian fightback after the batsmen disappointed was Jasprit Bumrah who played his first limited-over game of 2019.

Opening the bowling, Bumrah gave away just 16 runs in his four overs and picked three crucial Australian wickets. He picked the Australian captain Aaron Finch in the very first ball he faced and then debutant Peter Handscomb (13) and Man of the Match Nathan Coulter-Nile (4). When Bumrah came in to bowl his final over, Australia required 16 runs off the last two overs and the pacer conceded just a couple to bring India closer to a winning position. However, Umesh Yadav gave away the rest of the 14 runs in the final over of the day to see the Kangaroos drive home.

Bumrah earned accolades from both captains

While India captain Virat Kohli after the match said that “Bumrah can do wonders”. His opposite number Finch also conceded the impact the Indian fast bowler can have on a game if he has an over left in the death.

“I think on that wicket, it got lower and slower. When Bumrah has an over up his sleeve, it’s gonna be hard. The run-outs did not help but great to get the win,” Finch, whose own poor form with the bat continued, said after the first T20I.

The visiting captain won the toss and sent India in to bat. After a poor start, opener KL Rahul (50) and Kohli (24) gave the hosts a good foundation for building a good total but a slump following the dismissal of the skipper dashed India’s hope. Mahendra Singh Dhoni scored a 37-ball-29 to remain till the end on a slow and low wicket but was criticised over it by the supporters.

Australia too had a disastrous start, losing two wickets for five runs but opener D’Arch Short (37) and Glenn Maxwell (56) helped them regroup and eventually win the game.

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