Star India pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah has expressed his delight at reuniting with his mother, which is his top priority, even ahead of the much-anticipated ODI World Cup match against Pakistan on Saturday, October 14. Bumrah is set to play in his hometown, Ahmedabad, before a crowd of 132,000 at the world's largest cricket stadium.
Yet, for the 29-year-old, family remains paramount. "I've been away for a while now. I'll be happy to see my mother at home," Bumrah told news agency AFP, following his commendable 4-39 performance in India's victory over Afghanistan on Wednesday.
Bumrah's upbringing was overseen by his mother, Daljit, a school headmistress, after the untimely demise of his father just before he reached the age of five.
"I'm going to see her. That's the first basic thing for me," he stated. Only after this personal reunion will Bumrah shift his attention to the Pakistan match, at a venue where he hasn't yet played an ODI. However, he's well-acquainted with this grand stadium, which is the home ground for his Gujarat side.
"I have not played a one-dayer there but I have played a Test match. The atmosphere is going to be exciting. I'm sure a lot of people are going to come. So, it will be a sight to see. So yeah, hoping for the best over there," he added.
Bumrah, a self-proclaimed Manchester United supporter, celebrated the wicket of Afghan batter Ibrahim Zadran with a unique gesture but clarified it wasn't an ode to United's Marcus Rashford. "It wasn't intended as such. It was spontaneous," he clarified.
Following their victory over Australia, India celebrated another win, leaving Afghanistan to reflect on their position. After their recent loss to Bangladesh, Afghanistan now lags at the bottom of the 10-team table.
Rashid Khan, Afghanistan's premier leg-spinner, was surprisingly introduced into the attack quite late, a decision questioned by many. Coach Jonathan Trott, the ex-England cricketer, mentioned that captain Hashmatullah Shahidi had a specific strategy in mind.
"It's the captain's call, but ideally, you'd want someone like Rashid bowling earlier. It's something we'll reconsider," Trott observed.
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