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In a highly anticipated showdown at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow during Match 29 of the ODI World Cup 2023, India’s formidable pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami unleashed a scintillating display, marking a blistering start to their defense of a total of 229/9.
England’s promising start and sudden collapse
The contest began with England’s opening pair, Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan, providing a promising start as they steadily steered their team to 30/0. However, what followed was a remarkable display of brilliance by the Indian bowlers that left the English top order in disarray.
Bumrah’s double blow: Dawid Malan and Joe Root dismissed
The first breakthrough was orchestrated by Bumrah, who displayed his mastery with a perfect short-of-a-length delivery around the off-stump. The ball skidded along the deck, inducing a thick inside edge off Malan’s bat. The result was the shattering of stumps, sending Malan back to the pavilion.
Bumrah’s brilliance did not end there. In a stunning display of precision, on the very next delivery, he claimed the prized wicket of Root, who was dismissed for a golden duck. The right-arm pacer pitched the ball slightly up, causing it to skid along the deck, keeping low. Root, caught off guard by the lack of bounce, was trapped in front of the stumps. The impact was in line, and the ball crashed into the timbers, leaving England’s star batsman stunned.
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Shami joins the party: Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow sent packing
The devastation continued as Shami joined the onslaught, making a double impact in quick succession. Ben Stokes, England’s dynamic all-rounder, became Shami’s first victim. Shami’s delivery, on the last ball of the eighth over, was a well-pitched good length ball. Stokes attempted to create room and expose the stumps but was deceived by the Indian pacer, who delivered a pinpoint strike right at the exposed sticks.
On the first ball of Shami’s next over, he claimed the wicket of Jonny Bairstow. The experienced campaigner delivered a short-of-a-length delivery around the off-stump. Bairstow, seeking to cut the ball, inadvertently found an inside edge that ricocheted off the thigh pad. The electrifying partnership of Bumrah and Shami had sent shockwaves through England’s top order, leaving them reeling from the impactful deliveries of the Indian pace duo.
