Rohit Sharma: India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, expressed his satisfaction with the players’ actions on Sunday after the team won the series against Afghanistan, saying that they are checking all the boxes in preparation for the T20 World Cup. In the final three-game series before the T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies, India defeated Afghanistan by six wickets in the second Twenty20 International to grab a commanding 2-0 lead.
Clear Vision and Pride
“We have been clear with what we wanted to do, very clear message to everyone and when you see a performance like that, you can be really proud,” During the post-match press conference, Rohit stated. “One thing is talking about it, but to actually go there and play that way is a proud feeling. The last two games, we’ve ticked a lot of boxes.” Yashasvi Jaiswal, 68, and Shivam Dube, 63, easily overcame a target of 173 after smashing vicious fifties.
Power and Spin Mastery
“They’ve had a great couple of years, Jaiswal has played Test cricket now and even T20I. He has shown what he is capable of. He has the talent and has a great range of shots. Dube is a big guy, very powerful and can take on the spinners. That is his role and he has come out and played two crucial innings for us.” In the process, Rohit also made history as the first male cricket player to play 150 Twenty20 International matches.
Reflecting on a Cricket Odyssey
“It is a great feeling, it has been a long journey starting way back in 2007. I’ve cherished every moment I have spent here,” he said. Axar Patel stated he tried to vary his length and bowled a little bit slower. He was declared the Player of the Match after taking two wickets for 17 in four overs. “Feels good, I just realised that I have got 200 T20 wickets. But what is important to keep doing well for India, honestly a few years later I won’t remember how many wickets I took,” he said.
“I have been trying to bowl a bit slower, vary my lengths and now I have been to gauge these things better. Now I have the confidence to bowl at all times, even in the powerplay. You need to be mentally prepared as a bowler in T20 cricket. Ready to concede a six because that same ball could get you a wicket on another day,” he said.
Axar Patel’s Steadfast Approach
“Earlier, I used to vary my plans if a batter was hitting me, but now I stick to my plans and make the batters take the chance against me.” According to Afghanistan’s captain Ibrahim Zadran, they have been playing effectively in spurts but must maintain consistency in their cricketing throughout the innings.
“We were quite short. We had a good start but not very good after that. Sometimes we play well in the powerplay, sometimes in the middle and sometimes at the death,” he said. “We need to build the momentum throughout and not repeat mistakes to have a good T20 World Cup.” In Wednesday’s third and final Twenty20 International, India will take on Afghanistan in Bengaluru.
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