For the last two games, India have been saved by a dual force. Sanju Samson and Jasprit Bumrah fired against West Indies in the Super 8s and then repeated their heroics against England in the all-important second semifinal of the T20 World Cup. It’s not often that the same guys come to the team’s rescue in two different fixtures, but such have been the forms of Bumrah and Samson that they can’t seem to put a foot wrong. They have led India’s charge in their run-up to the T20 World Cup final, and who knows? Had it not been for these two juggernauts, the country could’ve been seething in anger instead of celebrating. Against the West Indies, Bumrah’s 2/36, coupled with Samson’s 97, paved the way for India’s five-wicket win at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens. Just three days later, at the Wankhede Stadium, Samson scored 89 while Bumrah picked up 1/33 in a match that saw close to 500 runs being scored.
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With two days to go for the big-ticket final, where at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi stadium, India would face New Zealand for a shot at the title, the legendary Kapil Dev had interesting things to say… about three players in particular. The in-form duo of Samson and Bumrah, and the misfiring Abhishek Sharma, who, barring a fifty against Zimbabwe, has looked at sixes and sevens.
What Kapil said about the Indian trio
“I think Jasprit Bumrah is the number one bowler in the world. You don’t even have to talk about him. He is the best because of how he performs under pressure and his bowling. I think he truly deserves everyone’s respect and love. As for Sanju Samson, he is a brilliant cricketer. Yes, a big player can go off target sometimes, as happened with Abhishek [Sharma], but if they are big, they are big. They will come back. Samson really played wonderful cricket in the last two games. Abhishek should believe in himself that he can perform. And he will. There’s still one match left – the final. Individuals are important, but when your team wins, that’s what matters,” Kapil said on the sidelines of The 72 League on Friday.
Kapil ramps up the stakes
If India can beat New Zealand on Sunday – something they haven’t done in T20 World Cups – Suryakumar Yadav will join an esteemed company featuring Kapil, MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma to become a World Cup-winning captain for India. 44 years ago, Kapil put Indian cricket on the map when he and his team won the 1983 World Cup final, beating the then-mighty West Indies at the iconic Lord’s Cricket ground. Kapil knows what it’s like to stand at the podium. Winning the World Cup remains the ultimate dream for any player, and with India just one step away from the ultimate T20 crown, Kapil summed up the high brilliantly.
“I think the highlight is when we start something, we finish it. Many hurdles come in between, but finally, when you are giving the trophy to the champion, you feel you have done it. A lot of things still need improvement, but at the end of the day, the players are happy. Being a player, I always feel for them. Only one team can win, and the best team won,” he added.
