India’s captain Rohit Sharma during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final cricket match between India and South Africa at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados.
| Photo Credit: AP
Just as Rome wasn’t built in a day, India’s second T20 World Cup triumph wasn’t about perfect execution of plans on the big day but a sum total of the team’s quiet preparation over the past three years, an emotional skipper Rohit Sharma said here.
India defeated South Africa by seven runs in an engaging final to end a trophy drought that stretched for over a decade.
“I am completely lost and can’t say what kind of emotions I am going through. Can’t explain it in words. Let this sink in. Last night, I couldn’t sleep as I was desperate and wanted it so badly. But I managed myself well inside the ground,” Rohit said after becoming the third India captain after Kapil Dev and Mahendra Singh Dhoni to clinch a global title.
“Hard to sum up what we’ve been through in last three-four years. A lot behind the scenes, not what we did today, it’s what we did before,” said the skipper.
He hasn’t forgotten about the ODI World Cup defeat last year and knew that pressure needed to be soaked in.
“A lot of high-pressure games, and we’ve been on the wrong side of it. Guys understand when the pressure is on, what needs to be done, today was perfect example, we stuck together with backs to the wall.” The 37-year-old didn’t forget to credit the team management and his fellow players for responding to his call.
“We wanted this really bad, a lot of minds need to come together, very proud of the bunch of boys and the management, giving us the liberty to play and that trust. Starts from management, coach, captain, and the players.”
Virat Kohli’s form
I had no doubt about Kohli’s form. He has played with Virat Kohli for more than 15 years and was confident that his poor run of form in the lead up to the final wasn’t a headache.
“No-one was in doubt about the form of Virat, on top of his game for last 15 years. Come the occasion, big players stand up. Crucial to hold that end, for the others to play around him.
“…it wasn’t a wicket to bat freely. He did that perfectly, that experience of all the years come together, and Axar’s batting was crucial,” he said, lauding the 47-run effort by Patel.
Don’t know how Bumrah does it day in day out. Pace spearhed Jasprit Bumrah’s skills are difficult to describe for a commoner but even the skipper feels that he is ill-equipped to sum up his artistry.
“Jasprit, I understand you guys trying to put it into words, but I don’t know how he does it, it’s just masterclass. He backs his skills which is more than enough, and is a confident lad. Class act,” Rohit said about the player of the tournament.
Hardik was brilliant
After a rough IPL for Mumbai Indians, Hardik Pandya had a great T20 World Cup and his national skipper acknowledged the performance.
“Hardik was brilliant, to bowl that last over, proud of the boys. And the fans, from New York to Barbados, and back home. Late in India but they’ve been waiting a long time. Very proud of what we’ve achieved today.” As the skipper took a lap of honour with his daughter Samaira on his shoulders, the sense of contentment and elation was writ large on his face. Rohit Sharma deserved every bit of it.