In the recent Eliminator between MI and GT, Jasprit Bumrah once again proved why he is considered one of the game’s most dependable bowlers. His bowling helped MI seal a 20-run win and progressed for playing in Qualifier 2.
Among the many who praised Bumrah's spell, former South African star and RCB icon AB de Villiers offered some of the most glowing words. Speaking on Match Centre Live on JioHotstar, de Villiers highlighted Bumrah’s ability to thrive in tense situations.
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He also applauded MI captain Hardik Pandya for saving Bumrah’s final two overs for the death. He called it a "smart move" considering how well Sai Sudharsan was batting.
What did AB de Villiers say about Jasprit Bumrah?
Mumbai scored on a daunting 228/5 thanks to Rohit Sharma’s explosive 81 off 50 and contributions from the rest of the top order. Gujarat saw Sudharsan flying off to 80 runs from 49 balls but struggled to keep up with the asking rate once Bumrah returned to bowl at the death.
"Credit to Hardik for holding Bumrah back until the right time. Sai had been playing him well, so delaying his return was a smart move. Before Bumrah came back for his final two overs, I told my son, 'This game isn’t over until he’s done bowling.' Once again, he showed why he’s one of the best," said de Villiers.
De Villiers identified Sai Sudharsan’s dismissal in the 16th over as the true momentum shift. The Gujarat batter had looked set to snatch the match away before Richard Gleeson got the better of him.
"No one gave GT a chance at the halfway mark but MI held their nerve – especially Bumrah, who just keeps delivering in the big moments," he concluded.