India v Pakistan: Has Win Predictor never heard of Jasprit Bumrah?

Between them, Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar, Ramiz Raja, Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram have been there, done that, and got the salwar kameez. Multiple times over.

Were Shastri not world cricket’s designated hype man (see the toss pre-India v Pakistan, which made Michael Buffer seem chill and had captains Rohit Sharma and Babar Azam in fits of giggles), it would be tempting to suggest it takes a fair bit to move them.

Obviously, Sunday’s T20 World Cup clash in New York was a big one. The fixture always does raise the pulses, especially a first competitive one in the city that never sleeps. But they have each seen it all before, and have a sufficient level of perspective. Maybe call it cynicism, at times.

But when each was behind the mic there was one thing which noticeably elevated the timbre of their commentary. It was the sight of Jasprit Bumrah with ball in hand.

With such an unlikely total (119) for India to defend at the undulating Nassau County ground, they would have had him bowling every over.

Gavaskar was the first to mention it. Eight balls had been bowled and Pakistan were 14 for no loss by the time he started to wonder where Bumrah was.

“He is your best bowler, and he is just standing at mid-on,” Gavaskar said, just before Mohammed Siraj bowled a peach to miss the outside edge of Mohammed Rizwan’s bat.

“He is the best bowler, an attacking option for you, and Pakistan rate him very high,” Raja responded. “You want a guy who can bowl that hard length. It is a pitch tailor made for Bumrah.”

They did not have to wait for long to get what they wanted. Bumrah was handed the ball for the third over, and the atmosphere of the game (until now, it had been all Pakistan) changed immediately.

Ball 1 (Third over): Length