IPL 2024: Being Calm Is My Nature – Bhuvneshwar Kumar After Last Over Brilliance

IPL 2024: Bhuvneshwar Kumar turned back the clock with a match-winning last over in SRH's one-run victory over RR.

IPL 2024: Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowled a match-winning last over in SRH vs RR.

(Photo: BCCI)

A 34-year-old Bhuvneshwar Kumar turned the clock back on Thursday (2 April) in Hyderabad, as he bowled an excellent spell – both with the new ball and at the death – to guide Sunrisers Hyderabad to a one-run triumph over the league leaders of the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), Rajasthan Royals.

Defending a total of 201 runs, Hyderabad got off to an excellent start courtesy Bhuvneshwar, who dismissed both Jos Buttler and Sanju Samson on ducks in the first over. What also was impressive about his bowling in this match was that the veteran seamer could generate the swing that fans associate him with.

But the task was not done as he came to bowl the last over, wherein Hyderabad needed to defend 13 runs. 11 runs came from the first five deliveries, but in the last delivery, Bhuvneshwar trapped Rovman Powell leg before wicket to win the match for his team.

On being asked about his calm and composed demeanour during such an anxious moment, Bhuvneshwar explained:

I think that is my nature (to remain calm). The process is very important. I was not thinking about the result in the last over. I was thoughtless. Cummins came to me and asked me if everything was okay. There was no discussion as such, I thinking about bowling just two good balls, and anything could have happened. 

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Elaborating on the swing he generated, the pacer further added:

It was the first match where the ball swung so much. I can't really pinpoint where the ball swung last, I really enjoyed it. When it does swing, you try to take wickets. Luckily, I got them today. 

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Thought Process Changed After We Started Batting This Way: Bhuvneshwar Kumar

The veteran has not had the best of seasons in terms of his economy rate, which is currently 10.18 runs per over. But explaining his thought process, he mentioned how plans changed for the Sunrisers bowlers after the team began recording humongous totals with the bat.

When the season started, the thought process was different. When we started batting this way, it totally changed. When we bowled, we were trying to restrict teams to somewhere around 200.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar