Lahore, March 14 (IANS) Pakistan selector and former fast bowler Aaqib Javed has lauded ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah, saying that he’s someone who doesn’t allow the batters to find their rhythm or flow in a match. Bumrah recently picked 14 wickets and became the joint leading wicket-taker in India’s triumphant 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup campaign.

Javed, a member of Pakistan’s 1992 World Cup-winning squad under Imran Khan, made his admiration clear for Bumrah, terming him ‘the Usman Tariq of fast bowlers’. “In today’s era, across this entire World Cup, there is only one bowler like that-Bumrah. Because he is different. He is not a normal bowler.

“Even his action is unusual. When he comes in to bowl, I always say he is like the Usman Tariq of fast bowlers. He bowls so quickly and in such a unique manner that a batter never really finds any flow or rhythm against him. He simply doesn’t allow it,” Javed told reporters in a press conference on Saturday.

He also felt Bumrah carries the aura that ex-Pakistan pacers Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis had in their playing days. “Other than him, tell me one more bowler in this entire World Cup, from any team, whom you can look at and feel satisfied that he carries the reflection of a Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, or anyone like that. You won’t find one anymore,” added Javed.

It was a press conference where Javed came out in support of Pakistan’s recent performances in the last 18 months, where they have had early exits from the 2025 Champions Trophy and 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup, including suffering defeats to India.

With Pakistan currently in Bangladesh for an ODI series, Javed stated that losses to their arch-rivals India on the big stage were now not an unfamiliar territory for the side. “The India-Pakistan match is important for us, but we have never (once) beaten India in a World Cup. It is 8-0 (8-1 in T20 World Cups). The best captains from 1975 onwards have played them, including players from all generations, and we’ve never beaten India; the result is 8-0 (8-1).

“Set that aside – we qualified for the second round, and we lost only one game against England. Did anything else happen? It was not possible to win by that margin against Sri Lanka, which we required. We lost just one game and only missed out due to the net run rate. It’s not so big an issue to say our cricket has been destroyed,” he concluded.

–IANS

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