Just seven months after their agony in Ahmedabad, India raced to a comeback triumph against South Africa in the T20 World Cup final in Barbados. Here is how their top players responded to the occasion.
Hardik Pandya, India’s vice captain, said: “It means a lot. It’s quite emotional. We had been working so hard, but something was not clicking. But this was a day when we essentially fulfilled the wishes of the entire nation. There are so many supporters. “And I think the last six months have been even more special for me… I’ve been extremely graceful in not saying anything. Things have been extremely unjust, but I am confident that if I keep working hard, I will be able to shine and achieve what I have always done. That sums it up. It was a dream to win. Having an opportunity like this makes it much more special.
“We were always confident we could achieve it. It was about us carrying out our preparations, being calm, and allowing the pressure get to them. Credit to Jassi [Jasprit Bumrah] and the bowlers who bowled the final 4-5 overs. It changed everything. I felt it was about time we did it [laughs]. I knew that if I didn’t remain cool, nothing would assist me. For me, it was about carrying out my intentions, and every ball I bowled came in at 100%. I’ve been in this situation before, and while I didn’t win, I’ve always enjoyed being under pressure. It has been fantastic.”I am very delighted for him [Rahul Dravid]; he is a lovely man, and I have enjoyed working with him.It’s lovely to bid him farewell in this manner, and to have this be the end of his coaching career. All of the support workers have played an important role over the last three to four years.
“Axar Patel: “When I joined the World Cup [squad] in recent years, I’ve been getting hurt. This time, I felt compelled to do something nice for India. Finally, I completed it with great pride. I tried to make it basic and avoid worrying about anything. I thought it was just another match. I did not expect this to be the final. That worked for it. When I went to bat, I didn’t consider what would happen if I got out. I simply played on the basis of the ball.
“Rohit Sharma is an amazing man; he led India to victory in the World Cup.” Rahul bhai gave it his all and told everyone to have fun and not worry about the pressure; just do your best. [Increase the order] Not today; I was supposed to go down the order, but after we lost three wickets early, Rahul bhai requested me to pad up. I didn’t have to think about my batting, which worked for me.” Mohammed Siraj: “I only believed in Jassi bhai because he is the only game-changing bowler.” His over was the match-changing over, and everything I was thinking came true. To be honest, I have no words for how I feel. I’m lucky.
