New Zealand batsman Glenn Phillips acknowledged Jasprit Bumrah’s brilliance but said the Indian spearhead was “human” and hoped he would be given the day off in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final.
Bumrah has been one of India’s most influential players in the ongoing ICC tournament, providing match-winning spells throughout the campaign. His control over the death and ability to execute yorkers under pressure made him a constant threat to the opposition batsmen.
Read the full article
But Phillips believes even the best bowlers can have tough days and New Zealand will be ready to capitalize if the opportunity presents itself.
“Bumrah is a fantastic bowler. He’s got so much variation. He hits the block hole at the death incredibly well. You know, and he’s human too. He’s allowed to have a bad day, just like the rest of us. So hopefully we’ll have a good day against him,” Phillips said.
Arguably the best all-rounder of his generation, Bumrah once again showed his class in India’s thrilling semi-final win over England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
In a run-fest that produced 449 runs and 34 sixes, Bumrah excelled with figures of 1 for 33 from his four overs, keeping England’s batsmen in check during the crucial stages of the match.
He described Indian opener Sanju Samson who was named the player of the match Bumrah as a ‘once in a generation’ bowler. and said the pacer deserved the award anyway.
Bumrah was India’s standout performer during the tournament, producing crucial spells against Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies and England, particularly excelling in the death overs.
Phillips admitted that England tried to limit Bumrah’s impact in the semi-final by eyeballing his overs and targeting other bowlers.
“The way England played him yesterday in terms of trying to take the last two overs and give themselves as many chances as possible. That was the tactic they used.”
The New Zealand batsman stressed that his team cannot simply try to survive Bumrah’s spell and must seize any opportunity to score if the Indian quick misses his mark.
“It doesn’t have to be that way, per se. Like I said, a pitcher is allowed to miss, and if he happens to miss, we have to give it away. That also means when he’s pitching well, I think we have to adjust to other things and adjust.”
With the title on the line, New Zealand will be hoping Bumrah has a rare day off – but history suggests the Indian javelin rarely affords such a luxury.
T20 World Cup | T20 World Cup Schedule | T20 World Cup Points Table | T20 World Cup Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
– The end
Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
06 March 2026 21:42 IST
