Cricket News

Wasim Jaffer, Ashley Giles back Bhuvneshwar Kumar to be in the 20-20 World Cup squad

Former India batter and cricket expert Wasim Jaffer has backed Indian pace spearhead, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, to be selected for the 20-20 World Cup squad in Australia. Jaffer has also conveyed his good wishes for a very good performance in the first T20 International against England.

The right-arm pacer took the new ball and was back to his explosive best, where he gave away only ten runs in his three overs. He also took the prized wicket of Jos Butler, which gave India an upper hand in the match. He will look to continue his good form going further into the series.

“In international cricket, a bowler who swings the ball will have most of the batters struggling, especially with the ball you don’t see many bowlers swinging it but Bhuvi is a great exponent of it. He’s been getting it right since he has come back to the side and it was great to see him producing a good performance against a quality batting line-up. I don’t see any doubt in my mind that he’s going to be in the World Cup squad. He’s an absolute certainty,” said Jaffer while speaking to ESPNCricinfo.

Echoing Wasim Jaffer’s sentiments, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was further backed by the former English spinner Ashley Giles who said,

“Bhuvneshwar should be on the plane for Australia to play in the T20 World Cup. Will the ball swing as much in Australia? I don’t know but if anybody swings, it will be Bhuvi. I think he has inked his name into that World Cup squad already,” added Giles.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar has played a total of 67 T20I matches and has scalped the same amount of wickets at an average of 24.13. He also has two four-wicket hauls and one five-wicket haul in the 20-over format. Kumar will be looking to replicate his performance in the second T20I as well and try to do some early damage with the new ball.