Bumrah spark in fading Mumbai

Pacer stands out yet again but Kolkata Knight Riders eke out 24-run victory at Wankhede

- SWAROOP SWAMINATHAN

ON Thursday, both T Natarajan and Sandeep Sharma, the two best Indian pacers not named Jasprit Bumrah in this year's edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), showcased their wares to perfection. On Friday, it was Bumrah's turn to show exactly why he's the undisputed figurehead. Coming into the game against Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday night, it was safe to suggest that Mumbai Indians weren't themselves. Speculation had been rife that a leadership change had led to a divided house. Batters punching below their weight. Spinners being ineffective. Overseas bowlers not pulling their weight... you get the drift, it has not been a good campaign. But that principle doesn't apply to Bumrah, whose artistry shined once again. Under a floodlit Wankhede, he was divine. It was rather poetic that he started his innings the way he finished. Yorker targeting the stumps.