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Following the historic T20 World Cup win in Barbados, Jasprit Bumrah and his teammates had the honour of meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence in New Delhi.
During the meeting, Bumrah shared his insights on his mindset and approach to bowling in high-pressure situations. “Whenever I bowl for India, I bowl in the crucial overs, whether it is a new ball or an old ball,” he said. “Whenever the situation is tough, I am called to bowl and I feel happy when I can help the team through the tough overs. It gives me a lot of confidence, and that confidence I carry through my overs. In this tournament, there were many situations where I was supposed to bowl the tough overs and I was able to help the team and help win the matches.”
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The Prime Minister, intrigued by Bumrah’s composure, asked him how he remained calm during the stressful death overs. Bumrah’s response highlighted his focus and mental strength. “If I thought we are going to lose or I have to do something extra or I looked at the crowd and got nervous, then I might make mistakes,” he said. “So, I focus on myself and think about what I have to do and think about what I did well in previous situations where I helped the team. I try to remember those things and try to give my best.”
Bumrah took 15 wickets in eight matches, at a barely credible save rate of 4.17. That included the 16th and 18th overs in the final, when he conceded just six and dismissed Marco Jansen.
In a more relaxed moment, PM Modi asked Bumrah if he had missed traditional Indian food during the tournament. “We didn’t eat any idlis or paranthas in the West Indies and we tried to make do with what we had,” Bumrah replied with a smile. “But it was a great tour, we travelled back to back and as a team, it was a great tournament. We won the World Cup for the first time and we have never experienced this intensity of emotions before. It is a feeling of pride and I have never experienced anything better than this.”
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The gathering was made even more special by the presence of Bumrah’s wife, Sanjana Ganesan, and their son, Angad. Heartwarming images of PM Modi holding Bumrah’s son quickly went viral, capturing a beautiful moment of celebration and unity.
