Irfan Pathan has pinpointed the one tactical battle that could decide India's Super 8 clash with West Indies.
India face West Indies in their final Super 8 fixture of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 on Sunday, March 01, 2026. The stakes are clear: the winner advances to the semi-finals.
For Pathan, the spotlight falls firmly on Jasprit Bumrah.
Photo by Indranil MUKHERJEE / AFP via Getty Images
Speaking on his YouTube channel , Irfan Pathan said: "How does the team plan Jasprit Bumrah's four overs? His one over against Shimron Hetmyer will be very important. If Bumrah is unable to dismiss Hetmyer, would you bring Varun Chakaravarthy from the other end to bowl to him?"
"Hetmyer has already hit 17 sixes and is in tremendous form. Batting at number three, he has changed the game and keeps playing his shots consistently," Pathan added.
Pathan identified Hetmyer as the central threat in the West Indies batting order. With 17 sixes in the tournament and momentum at number three, his duel with Bumrah could tilt the match.
India's management must decide not just when to deploy Bumrah, but how to maximise those four overs in a knockout scenario.
Irfan Pathan further stated: "Against South Africa, he was dismissed while attempting a pull shot to a hard-length delivery. So what plan are you bringing against him now? Will you bowl outside the off-stump?
"He prefers to play on the leg side, so will you take the ball away from the stumps and bowl it outside off? That could definitely be one strategy. It's something that needs careful attention."
Pathan concluded: "And if he does hit one on the leg side, then how will the field be set? What kind of variation in pace will be used? Bumrah's slower one will also be very important against Shimron Hetmyer."
The emphasis is on discipline and variation. Containing Hetmyer may require attacking outside off-stump and using pace changes rather than feeding his leg-side strengths.
With a semi-final berth on the line, Pathan's analysis suggests Bumrah's execution against one batter could define India's World Cup path.
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