Jasprit Bumrah. (AP Photo)
Bumrah’s performances at the tournament earned him praise from several cricket legends including Pakistani bowling great Akram, who claimed that the Indian’s bowling prowess across different formats of the game gives him an edge over Pakistani pacers.
Wasim Akram has made some bold claims about Jasprit Bumrah suggesting that the India bowling star is better than Pakistani pacers. Bumrah has been at his best at the ongoing ODI World Cup at home.
His performances at the tournament earned him praise from several cricket legends including Pakistani bowling great Akram. While speaking to A-Sports, Akram was asked, “Why can Pakistan bowlers not bowl like Jasprit Bumrah?”
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The cricket legend claimed that Bumrah’s bowling prowess across different formats of the game gives him an edge over Pakistani pacers. While answering the question, the former pacer said, “Our bowlers don’t play the long format while Bumrah also plays Test cricket.”
Akram wasn’t just done there as he went on to explain Bumrah’s technique and the reasons that made him the world’s best. In the panel discussion, Akram said, “He is the best in the world right now. Top of the ladder. The way he is performing – the control, the pace, the variations. He’s just a complete bowler.”
The Pakistani bowling great went on to draw comparisons between Bumrah and himself suggesting that the Indian pacer was more technical than Wasim. “Bumrah got better control with the new ball than myself”, he said in the interview.
He even jokingly suggested that there was a way one could stop Bumrah from performing the way he is and that would be to “steal his spikes.”
Bumrah has accumulated some astonishing numbers at the World Cup at home. The India pacer has scalped 15 wickets in the competition. Bumrah also boasts the third-best economy in the competition with 3.72. He also has the second-best average at the World Cup with 14.06, with his compatriot Mohammed Shami taking the first place with 6.71.
India registered a thumping 302-run win over Sri Lanka next at the iconic Wankhede Stadium to seal their berth in the semifinal of the ICC showpiece on Thursday. India put up a score of 357 and wrapped up Sri Lanka for 55 runs to register the massive win.