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The India vs New Zealand T20 World Cup final had two protagonists: Sanju Samson<\/a> with the bat and Jasprit Bumrah<\/a> with the ball. Samson top-scored with a well-earned 89 as India slammed 255\/5 in 20 overs. Jasprit Bumrah then took a four-wicket haul as New Zealand fell 96 runs short of the target. While Sanju Samson was chosen as the Player of the Tournament for his three consecutive half-centuries starting from the Super 8 stage, South Africa great AB de Villiers<\/a> felt Bumrah might have deserved it more.<\/p>\n “It was a really, really close call between Sanju Samson and Bumrah. Why I mention Bumrah? Well was the top wicket-taker, and so he was pushing for the Player of the Tournament. But to me, there were pivotal moments and pivotal overs that he bowled that I felt like maybe he deserved more of a mention there. It should have been closer,” said de Villiers on his YouTube<\/a> channel.<\/p>\n “But anyway, Sanju Samson – what a tournament he had! He made the most of it. It’s not easy to bowl as a fast bowler in India unless you are Jasprit Bumrah. Even he was expensive in a couple of his overs during the tournament.<\/p>\n “But when it mattered most in the semifinal and final, he bowled insane overs. I’ve never seen anything like it. He is hittable, but when it matters, there is a different gear this guy hits, and he goes to a different planet. An incredible performer and an asset to cricket in India.”<\/p>\n Bumrah made history, becoming the first pacer to take a four-wicket haul in the T20 World Cup knockouts, and he overtook Lasith Malinga<\/a> to become the leading pacer in the tournament’s history.<\/p>\n He is the first-ever pacer to register a four-fer in a T20 World Cup knockout match, joining spinners Ajantha Mendis<\/a> (4\/12 against West Indies in the 2012 final) and Shadab Khan<\/a> (4\/26 in the 2021 semifinal against Australia) as only the third bowler overall to do so.<\/p>\n Bumrah is now the fifth-highest wicket-taker in T20 World Cups, with 40 scalps in 26 matches at an average of 13.65 and an economy rate of 5.66, including one four-wicket haul. He is also the most successful pacer in the tournament’s history, surpassing Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga (38 wickets in 31 matches at an average of 20.07).<\/p>\n