Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah etched his name deeper into cricketing history on Sunday, delivering a spell for the ages to power India to their third ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!At a roaring Narendra Modi Stadium, Bumrah dismantled New Zealand’s chase with a devastating four-wicket haul, becoming the first fast bowler ever to take a four-fer in a T20 World Cup knockout match. His figures of 4/15 not only broke new ground in the tournament’s history but also helped India seal a crushing 96-run victory in the final.
The milestone also saw Bumrah surpass Sri Lankan great Lasith Malinga to become the most successful pacer in T20 World Cup history. Bumrah now has 40 wickets in just 26 matches, overtaking Malinga’s tally of 38 wickets from 31 games. Only a handful of spinners, including Shakib Al Hasan, who leads the charts with 50 scalps, sit above him overall.
Pacers with most wickets in T20 World Cup
- 40 – Jasprit Bumrah (ER: 5.66)
- 38 – Lasith Malinga (ER: 7.43
- 38 – Anrich Nortje (ER: 5.71)
- 36 – Arshdeep Singh (ER: 7.79)
- 36 – Tim Southee (ER: 6.99)
The final itself turned into a showcase of India’s dominance. Batting first after New Zealand opted to field, India piled up a massive 255/5 — the highest total ever in a T20 World Cup final. A blistering 52 off 21 balls from Abhishek Sharma set the tone before a spectacular innings from Sanju Samson (89) anchored the assault. Samson forged crucial partnerships, including a century stand with Ishan Kishan, who smashed 54 off 25 deliveries. Late fireworks from Shivam Dube ensured India crossed the 250-run mark with ease.Four-fers in T20 World Cup knockouts
- 4/12 – Ajantha Mendis vs WI, Colombo RPS, 2012 Final
- 4/15 – Jasprit Bumrah vs NZ, Ahmedabad, 2026 Final
- 4/26 – Shadab Khan vs AUS, Dubai, 2021 SF
Chasing an imposing 256, New Zealand never recovered after Bumrah and Axar Patel struck early. Patel grabbed three wickets while Bumrah ripped through the middle order as the Kiwis slumped to 72/5. A fighting 52 from Tim Seifert briefly revived hopes, but the chase soon collapsed under relentless pressure.New Zealand were eventually bowled out for 159, handing India a historic triumph.For Bumrah, the tournament capped another extraordinary campaign. He finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 14 scalps, matching Varun Chakravarthy, and once again underlined why he remains one of the most feared bowlers in world cricket.
