16 runs needed in 12 deliveries. Jasprit Bumrah is handed the ball. The atmosphere at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium in Visakhapatnam was apprehensive as Australia were five down, but had players who could finish the job. The six balls that Bumrah delivered echoed hope around.
The 19th over - 0, 1, 0, 1, W, W. A poet in the death overs as Bumrah gave India a fighting chance to turn a lost cause into a win.
He got Peter Handscomb with a short ball and then yorked Nathan Coulter-Nile after having dismissed Aaron Finch in his first spell.
However, the last over which was bowled by Umesh Yadav, saw Australia clinch a last ball win by 3 wickets in Vizag.
With 14 required off the last over, Umesh was hit for a boundary each by Jhye Richardson and Pat Cummins, who had identical scores of 7 not out as they reached the target of 127 off the last delivery of the match.
Umesh's over- 1, 4, 2, 1, 4, 2.
After the match, Bumrah spoke about how he planned every ball to bowl where and how.
"We would have been very happy if we would have won the game, but we are very happy to fight like this in a close game."
In the post-match press conference, Bumrah spoke about his the over that gave India a chance of reprisal and said that he was looking to execute his plans.
"Just focussing on what my strengths are and what the wicket is because the wicket was a little difficult to bat on, it was not a wicket you could score heavily on, to play big shots on this sluggish wicket was a little difficult. So I was just figuring out what my options were and was looking to execute them," Bumrah said when asked about what his plans were while bowling.
The 25-year-old however, backed Umesh to come good and said bowling at the death is never easy.
"It always goes both ways. When you bowl a last over in a close game, it is sometimes 50-50. You try your best, you're always clear in your execution, some days it works, some days it doesn't. Nothing to be worried about.
"Yes, we wanted to close the game in our favour but it's okay, this happens as death bowling a little difficult in any situation," Bumrah said.
The second T20I will be played on February 27 at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
