"Media Obsesses Over Virat": Manjrekar's Veiled Dig, Names 'Best Player'

The India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup match saw the magic of Jasprit Bumrah. While defending a low total of 119 in New York on Monday, the Indian challenge looked like withering, the pace spearhead stepped up to take the crucial wickets of Mohammad Rizwan and Iftikhar Ahmed. Asked to bat first on a challenging drop-in pitch, India were bundled out for 119, reaching the score mainly due to a fighting 31-ball 42 by Rishabh Pant.

However, India fought back brilliantly to restrict Pakistan to 113/7 in 20 overs with Bumrah claiming 3-14 and Pandya taking 2-24. Pakistan were 80/4 at one stage and only needed 40 runs to win the match with six wickets in hand but the Indian bowling unit tied them into knots as they fell short by six runs.

Former Indian cricket team star Sanjay Manjrekar posted an interesting statement on X. “While Indian media obsesses over Virat & Co, Jasprit Bumrah quietly wins games for India single-handedly. By far the best player in the Indian team & has been for a while now. #JaspritBumrah #ICCT20WC,” he wrote. 

While Indian media obsesses over Virat & Co, Jasprit Bumrah quietly wins games for India single-handedly. By far the best player in the Indian team & has been for a while now. #JaspritBumrah#ICCT20WC

— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) June 10, 2024

Meanwhile, the 1983 World Cup winner, Madan Lal has lavished praise on the Indian bowlers especially Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya for scripting a six-run victory over arch-rivals Pakistan. 

“All credit goes to the bowlers. I will have to praise them for the way they bowled as a unit, especially Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya. Pandya’s four overs proved very crucial. The spinners too bowl well. To win a match while defending a target of 120 is a big achievement,” Madan Lal told IANS on Monday.

Madan Lal, who was part of Kapil’s Devils that defended 183 against the mighty West Indies in the final to win the World Cup in 1983, said the victory against Pakistan will prove a huge morale booster for the Indian team in the T20 World Cup. India had defeated Ireland in their opening match of the T20 World Cup.

But Madan Lal said the Indian batting will have to do better in subsequent matches as it is not always possible to win with a score of 120.

“I feel the Indian batting unit will have to improve in the subsequent matches as it is not possible to win every time by scoring 120 runs,” he said.

With IANS inputs