It was Bumrah’s wicket of Pakistan skipper Babar Azam that put India on the front foot to seal a six-run win in a low-scoring thriller. (AP/PTI)
Bumrah’s ripper
Babar Azam c Yadav b Bumrah: After subtly shuffling his lengths, Jasprit Bumrah ripped in a hard length ball that spat into Babar Azam. The length, shape and the bounce surprised the Pakistan captain who was caught in two minds, whether to leave or not, and in the end played something of a dab-leave. It took his edge to the first slip. Replays showed that the ball had straightened just enough from the angle to fox Babar. This was pure Test match length and quality.
Archer’s cutter
Travis Head b Archer: Jofra Archer had softened the Australia opener with fast, hard length balls that angled into him from around the stumps. He then slipped in a fuller, inch-perfect off-cutter. Head had backed away to heave him through the off-side. But the change of pace utterly deceived him and he ended up swishing the air as the ball snuck beneath the stumps to disfigure his stumps.
Nortje’s extra bounce
Shakib Al Hasan c Markram b Nortje: This was no trick of the capricious New York surface. He hit the deck hard and manufactured extra bounce. Shakib Al Hasan did not weigh in the strapping South African’s ability to extract steep bounce from any track. He did exactly that, the ball reaching Shakib a yard or two faster than he had expected and taking the top-edge of a hideous hook.
Farooqi’s curler
Daryl Mitchell c Gurbaz B Farooqi: It was the perfect left-armer’s away seamer to the left-handed batsman. The ball curved in the air, lulling Mitchel into believing that the ball was body-bound. Instead, it tailed away ever so subtly after landing. By the time the batsman realised the ball’s late change of path, he had committed too much into his defensive push and feathered a catch to the keeper.
Afridi’s nip-backer
Andy Balbirnie b Shaheen Afridi: Every compilation of wickets would be incomplete without a vicious nip-backer from a left-arm quick. The dreamiest of all balls. This one hemmed away in the air, swung back and after landing seamed back to hammer the stumps of the ambitiously driving Ireland opener. Through the gate, bowled neck and crop. Beaut.
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