Not Varun Chakravarthy, Kapil Dev names this Indian cricketer as 'number one bowler'

India’s win over England in the semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 drew praise from former captain Kapil Dev, who singled out Jasprit Bumrah for his spell under pressure and called him the number one bowler in the world.

India beat England in the semi-final in Mumbai to reach the final of the tournament. They will face New Zealand for the title on Sunday in Ahmedabad.




Kapil Dev hailed Bumrah’s performance in the match and said the pacer deserves respect for the way he delivers in crucial situations. He also praised wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson for scoring back-to-back fifties in the tournament.

Bumrah returned figures of 1 for 33 in four overs. While other Indian bowlers were attacked by England batters, Bumrah maintained control during his spell.

"It was a victory for the game of cricket. I think he (Jasprit Bumrah) is the number one bowler in the world. The way he performs under pressure, he deserves to get respect. Sanju Samson played wonderful cricket in the last two games. The final match is remaining. Yes, individuals are important, but when a team plays, you witness victory," Kapil Dev told the reporters, as cited by news agency ANI.

India had earlier posted 253 for 7 after being asked to bat first. Samson led the scoring with 89 off 42 balls. England stayed in the chase for most of the match through Jacob Bethell’s century.

The turning point came in the 18th over when Bumrah conceded only six runs. England needed 45 runs from the final three overs at the start of that over.

Kapil Dev also praised the Indian team for the way they handled the semi-final.

"It felt very good. I didn't think the semifinal would be so difficult when [teams recently] have been scoring over 250, and after that, such excellent cricket was played. The Indian team won, and my congratulations to them. It was a lot of fun. And that fun didn't just come from the bowlers' side, but from the batsmen's side as well," Kapil Dev added.

India now have a chance to achieve several milestones in the final against New Zealand. They are aiming to become the first host team to win the T20 World Cup, the first team to defend the title and the first side to win the tournament three times.

India secured their place in the final after beating England in the semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday.

Get the latest ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, IND vs ENG Live Score updates, including the full schedule, teams, points table, and key series stats such as top run-scorers and wicket-takers.