India pacer Umesh Yadav has received plenty of flak from fans for failing to defend 14 runs in the final over in the first T20 against Australia but he has been given some support by his team-mate Jasprit Bumrah.
Australia needed 16 runs to win from the final two overs in their chase of 127 at Visakhapatnam on Sunday before Bumrah bowled an excellent penultimate over where he conceded just two runs.
Umesh, however, was unable to hold his nerve in the 20th over as Australia snatched a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.
Defending his colleague in the post-match presentation, Bumrah said, “This happens, death bowling is always difficult in any situation. It always goes both ways and it’s sometimes 50-50.”
“You try your best, and you’re clear in your execution. Some days it works, some days it doesn’t. Nothing to be worried. We wanted to close the game in our favour but it’s okay,” the India pacer added.
Bumrah conceded only two runs in the penultimate over.
Bumrah, who finished with figures of 3-18 from his four overs, also defended the batting by MS Dhoni in the match. Dhoni remained unbeaten on a 37-ball 29 in India’s total of 126-7 but the veteran wicketkeeper invited plenty of criticism after refusing to take as many as eight singles while batting with the tail.
“We were just trying our best. He was just trying to take the game deep and trying to get us to a safe total which he tried. I think he gave us a total something we could fight for,” said Bumrah.
The second and final T20 between the two sides will take place at Bengaluru on Wednesday.
