Rohit Sharma, the Player of the Match for his 41-ball 92 in India’s 24-run win over Australia in the T20 World Cup 2024, had to utilize all areas of the field to combat the breeze in Gros Islet. Arshdeep Singh mentioned that the bowlers had to ensure that the wind did not come into play to prevent the Australia batters from exploiting it. Arshdeep’s performance of 3 for 37, which included crucial wickets of David Warner, Tim David, and Matthew Wade, played a vital role in India’s victory.
“As a player and as a team, our motto is to adapt as best as we can to the conditions,” Arshdeep stated after the match. “We had to be mindful of the wind factor and adjust our strategies accordingly to prevent the wind from affecting the game.”
Josh Hazlewood, who was the most economical bowler with figures of 1 for 14, mentioned that a score of around 180 would have been competitive in those conditions, even though India managed to score 25 runs more than that. Apart from Rohit Sharma’s brilliant innings, contributions from Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, and Hardik Pandya were also crucial.
“Bowling from one end was challenging due to the wind, making it hard to control the ball,” Arshdeep explained. “Having those extra runs on the board gives bowlers the freedom to attack and pursue wickets.”
Arshdeep’s impressive performance saw him lead the tournament’s wicket-takers’ list alongside Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi. He credited Jasprit Bumrah for putting pressure on the batters from the other end, which helped him pick up wickets.
In Australia’s chase, Travis Head played a crucial knock of 76 runs, putting them in a good position. However, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel’s wickets tilted the game in India’s favor, leading to Australia needing too many runs in too few overs.
Arshdeep’s two wickets in the 18th over, supported by Bumrah and Hardik, sealed the victory for India.
