India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, shared insights into his mindset during the tense final overs of the ICC T20 World Cup final against South Africa. The Men in Blue emerged victorious, ending an 11-year drought for a major title. Rohit, who retired from T20Is after the win, revealed his thoughts at an event in Dallas. Facing a formidable Proteas batting lineup, India found themselves in trouble while defending 177 runs. The 15th over, bowled by Axar Patel, saw Heinrich Klaasen dominate and score 24 runs, leaving India with only 30 runs to defend in 30 balls. However, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Arshdeep Singh turned the game around with a brilliant display of pace bowling and crucial wickets. Pandya dismissed Klaasen in the 17th over, and a spectacular catch by Suryakumar Yadav in the final over removed David Miller, securing India’s victory.
Reflecting on the last five overs, Rohit admitted to being blank but emphasized the importance of staying focused in executing their plans as a team. “It was crucial for us to remain calm and stick to our strategies,” stated the Indian skipper.
Rohit credited their calm approach for overcoming South Africa and clinching a remarkable win under pressure. “Our composure was evident when we bowled those five pivotal overs. We stayed focused on the task at hand and didn’t panic,” he added.
Rohit concluded the tournament with a stellar batting performance, amassing 257 runs in eight matches at an average of 36.71 and a strike rate of over 156. He scored three half-centuries, including a career-best score of 92, making him the second-highest run-scorer.
Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, and Jasprit Bumrah were the standout performers in India’s seven-run victory over South Africa in the final. Kohli’s innings of 76 propelled India to 176/7, while Bumrah and Pandya’s exceptional bowling restricted Proteas to 169/8 after an explosive start by Klaasen.
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