'Like having a genie:' Former South Africa captain on Jasprit Bumrah's influence on the Indian team
After India's thrilling 7-run victory over England in the G20 World Cup semi-final, former South African captain Faf du Plessis praised Jasprit Bumrah, likening him to a supernatural force.
Last Updated: 05.18 PM, Mar 06, 2026
After India's fighting 7-run win over England in the T20 World Cup semi-final, former South African captain Faf du Plessis has linked Jasprit Bumrah to a supernatural force. In a match where nearly 500 runs were scored at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, Jasprit Bumrah's 33/1 proved to be the differentiator between the teams in a thrilling encounter. Speaking on ESPNCricinfo's 'Time Out' show, the former Du Plessis claimed that having Jasprit Bumrah on your side is the ultimate luxury for any captain.
"It’s a superpower that any captain dreams of. It’s like having a genie; you just rub the lamp, and out comes Bumrah," he commented.
The "superpower" of the back end
While it was one of the highest-scoring T20I matches ever, Faf du Plessis pointed out that Bumrah's impact transcends traditional statistics. He specifically praised Captain Suryakumar Yadav's tactical maturity to hold him back for the most important phases during England's chase.
Like the legendary Lasith Malinga pointed out, Bumrah's unique action and late release create an element of surprise that leaves even world-class batters late on the ball. Just like everyone saw against Harry Brook when Jasprit Bumrah outfoxed him with a slower delivery.
As Suryakumar Yadav reintroduced him in the 16th and 18th overs of the chase, Bumrah went for only 8 and 6 runs respectively in those vital overs. Those two overs, when England were going over 11 runs per over, proved to be golden for the Men in Blue.
Bumrah was on the mark with his iconic yorkers and also hit the hard length to keep the batters guessing. More interestingly, even when Jacob Bethell was smashing everyone out of the park, he could score much off against the slower yorkers of Bumrah.
"Even when he misses slightly, batters are often late on it because his action is so distinct," du Plessis demonstrated, highlighting how difficult it is to score against his yorkers and slower balls at the death.
"Team India doesn’t understand how fortunate they are to have him. It’s shown time and time again—no matter the format, he wins you games," Du Plessis concluded.
Read also: 'From being dropped...', fans hail Sanju Samson for this achievement in ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026
How to watch the India vs New Zealand, T20 World Cup 2026 final match?
Cricket fans in India can watch the India vs New Zealand, T20 World Cup 2026 final match on JioHotstar, accessible via OTTplay Premium.