New Delhi, March 7 (NationPress) Former England fast bowlers Stuart Broad and Steven Finn have showered accolades on India's leading fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah, dubbing him the 'greatest pacer in history' after his match-defining performance against England in the T20 World Cup semifinal.

Bumrah was instrumental in India's commanding victory, showcasing an incredible 18th over where he allowed just six runs, significantly hindering England's run chase. His remarkable bowling performance secured India's place in the final for the second consecutive T20 World Cup. In a high-scoring encounter where both teams averaged nearly 12.5 runs per over, Bumrah restricted the scoring to just 33 runs over his four overs and took the crucial wicket of England's captain Harry Brook with his very first ball.

Steven Finn, who played for England from 2010 to 2016, expressed his admiration for Bumrah's skills, declaring him the greatest bowler of all time. “Everyone else is mortal. There are good bowlers, there are great bowlers, but then there is Jasprit Bumrah, who sits above all of them at the moment. I think he’s just on another planet compared to any other bowler,” Finn remarked during a conversation with Broad.

Broad, who stands as the fifth-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history, supported Finn's views. "You could make a compelling case that he is the greatest fast bowler ever. Players like Malcolm Marshall, Richard Hadley, Curtly Ambrose, and Glenn McGrath are legendary. It’s tough to draw comparisons since we didn’t witness Malcolm Marshall in a T20 World Cup semifinal where the ball is soaring everywhere. He is undoubtedly the best I’ve ever seen,” Broad stated.

Bumrah’s statistics in the current T20 World Cup highlight his brilliance. With 10 wickets, he ranks as India’s second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. Despite competing on flat Indian pitches, his economy rate of 6.62 remains the second-best among bowlers who have bowled more than 12 overs. Alongside Arshdeep Singh, he also holds the record for being India’s leading wicket-taker in T20 World Cup history.

As India gears up for the final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad, Bumrah’s form and experience will be vital as they aim for their third T20 World Cup title.

During the semi-final against England at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday, Bumrah achieved a significant career milestone by becoming the eighth Indian bowler to reach 500 international wickets, joining an elite group that includes cricketing icons like Anil Kumble, Ravichandran Ashwin, Harbhajan Singh, Kapil Dev, Ravindra Jadeja, Zaheer Khan, and Javagal Srinath.