‘That’s why he is yorker king’ – Axar Patel reflects on Jasprit Bumrah’s epic spell in IND vs ENG semi-final

Indian all-rounder Axar Patel was blown away by the brilliance of Jasprit Bumrah in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal clash against England at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on March 5. The hosts booked their place in finals of the tournament with a nail-biting win against the Harry Brook side. 

Speaking after an intense victory, the left-arm spinner was all praises for “yorker king” Jasprit Bumrah for his match-winning bowling spell against the Three Lions. England’s Jacob Bethell was cruising his side to an epic win at the iconic venue but the Indian pacer had other plans.

He produced one of the best overs in the ongoing tournament during the 18th over of England’s chase. He restricted the duo of Sam Curran and Bethell to just six runs, giving his side a huge boost defending the total. 

“We knew the last two overs from Jasprit Bumrah would be crucial. On this wicket, the margin for error was very small. The way he delivered those yorkers under pressure shows why he is called the ‘Yorker King’. He knows exactly how to take the team out of difficult situations. Performing like that on such a wicket gives the entire team confidence. Everyone is contributing, and we are very excited heading into the final,” Axar said on JioHotstar.

Not just Bumrah, it was a night to remember for the Indian spinner as well. He took two brilliant catches in the outfield that in many ways changed the course of the match. He took a stunning catch of England’s skipper Brook running backwards at a crucial stage of the match. He then produced one more moment of magic when he and Shivam Dube took a relay catch dismissing Will Jacks. 

Axar Patel gave away his thoughts when asked about his favourite catch between the two.

“It was a very tough wicket for the bowlers, so as a fielder, taking catches or saving runs becomes very important. The first one is one of my favourite catches because I was running backwards, which is always difficult as your vision can get a little unstable. At the last moment, I took a brief pause before completing the catch, and that helped me judge the ball better.”

“The second catch came at a crucial moment when the partnership was building. Initially, I felt the ball might go beyond me, but then I realised I could reach it. Credit also goes to Shivam as we communicated well in that moment. These situations require quick decisions within a fraction of a second, and staying calm under pressure is extremely important,” he concluded.

Watch the video here –

India will now face New Zealand for the ultimate prize on March 8 at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad. If India wins, they will become the first nation to win the T20 World Cup three times. 

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