Shoaib Akhtar hails India’s ‘X-factor’ after 5-0 win over Kiwis

The Indian cricket team created history by becoming the first team to whitewash New Zealand in a T20I series in their own turf. There were many moments in the series where New Zealand were in the hot seat to win the game but Indians snatched the victory from jaws of defeat. India had several players stepping up to grab the opportunity to win the game but Shoaib Akhtar has named one among them as “India’s X-factor”.

Shoaib Akhtar all praise Bumrah

There was a point in the final game where the match was nicely poised for both the teams. The stand-in skipper KL Rahul asked youngster Dubey to bowl the 10th over while 93 runs required from 66 balls. Dubey got a hammering to become the holder of an unwanted record that says second most expensive over in a T20I. He gave away 34 runs and New Zealand firmly were in driver’s seat at that point.

Jasprit Bumrah, a ‘class act’

Then stepped up Jasprit Bumrah. He had already bowled a brilliant wicket maiden in his first and gave away only 6 runs off the 12th over. That was not all, he bowled another brilliant over in the 14th with 3 runs and castled the stumps of Mitchell. Yet another excellent over came up in the 19th where he gave just 3 runs and a wicket. Overall his figures read as 4-1-12-3.

Bumrah is a class act. He won’t let you score 25-30 runs in death overs. I think he’s the X-factor of this Indian side

Good support from other end

The Rawalpindi express while talking after the series ended in his YouTube channel, has also appreciated the role played by Shardul Thakur and Navdeep Saini who were the support bowlers for spearhead Bumrah. Shoaib Akhtar said –“ Saini and Thakur were good too”. Earlier he had praised Shami as –“Find of India”.

Getting in the groove

It is not easy for a fast bowler to return from injury and straight away produce his best bowling spells. Bumrah returned after a significant gap and after 2 series under his belt has looked like the best again.