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India’s efforts and preparations over the past few years have been praised by Rohit Sharma, as it contributed to their victory in the T20 World Cup final against South Africa in Barbados.
Rohit lauded India’s resilience in recovering from a really difficult circumstance in which South Africa needed just 30 runs off 30 balls with six wickets remaining. After that, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, and Hardik Pandya rallied for a seven-run win.
“We wanted to win this, but I know to win a tournament like this, a lot goes behind the scenes,” Rohit said at the presentation ceremony. “A lot of effort, lot of minds need to come together, and I’m very, very proud of the bunch of boys that I have, and the management as well.
“For giving us the liberty to go and play and execute and having that trust in each one of us. That has to start from the management, coach-captain, and the players go out there to do it. Throughout the tournament, we were fantastic.”
“We have played a lot of high-pressure games in the past as well and been on the wrong side of it as well, but guys do understand when the pressure is on, what needs to be done,” Rohit said. “Today was the perfect example of when the back is against the wall what is required.
After India was 34 for 3 in the fifth over, Virat Kohli’s 76 helped them to 176 for 7, earning him the Player of the Final title. Even though he had struggled in the T20 World Cup, finishing with just 75 runs in seven innings, Rohit claimed the team never doubted Kohli’s ability to perform well.
“Nobody was in doubt about Virat’s form,” Rohit said. “We know the quality he has, he has been on top of his game for the last 15 years, come the occasion we know big players will stand up. Virat was obviously holding that one end which was very, very crucial for us, and the others played around him. For us to get to that total was a team effort as well. We wanted somebody to bat as long as possible.”
India looked to be leading for much of South Africa’s chase, but in the 14th and 15th overs, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav gave David Miller and Heinrich Klaasen 38 runs, turning the tide of the match. To put pressure on South Africa, Rohit turned to Bumrah with 29 to defend from 30 balls. Bumrah conceded just four runs in his third over and then just two in his 18th over.
Bumrah won Player of the Tournament after finishing the T20 World Cup with 15 wickets, second only to Arshdeep Singh and Fazalhaq Farooqi, with an economy of 4.17 and an average of 8.26.
“I’ve been someone who has seen him for so many years, playing alongside him, even I don’t know what exactly is with him,” Rohit said. “I know exactly what he brings to the table, but how he does that is just masterclass to be honest.”