Asia Cup 2022: Could be a game-changing moment: Bhuvneshwar Kumar on forced fielding changes for slow over-rate

India’s pack leader Bhuvneshwar Kumar feels the over-rate rule could be a game-changing moment in big matches. If a team fails to bowl their overs on time then they are allowed only four fielders outside the 30-yard circle at the fag end of the innings.

Both India and Pakistan couldn’t do that in their high-octane clash on Sunday and both teams were penalized by the umpires. Shahnawaz Dahani smashed 16 runs off just six balls to help Pakistan post 147 runs on the board.

It is imperative for the bowlers to complete their quota of overs in time so that they can have one fielder outside the circle towards the end of the innings.

“It is one of the points where you can win or lose the match in the last few overs. It was evenly poised but yes, we always talk about the run-rate because even in the final of the Asia Cup or in the World Cup, if this happens, we can lose the match, and that’s not the nice way to lose a match,” Bhuvneshwar said in the press conference.
“We always address these things and definitely, this thing will be discussed in the next meeting we will have.”

India was forced to keep five fielders inside the circle in the last two overs while Pakistan had to keep the same number of fielders in the last three overs.

Pakistan scored 23 runs in the final two overs whereas India smashed 32 runs to get over the line in a humdinger contest.

India played with four seamers and they bowled 13.5 overs between them, which impacted their over rate. On the other hand, Pakistan played with three fast bowlers and they bowled a total of 12 overs among them.

Meanwhile, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was right on the money. Kumar got the big wickets of Babar Azam and Asif Ali and then helped the team in wiping out the tail. The ace pacer returned with figures of 4-24 in his quota of four overs and now holds the record for the best bowling figures for India against Pakistan in T20I cricket.

India will next face Hong Kong at the same venue on Wednesday.