Bridgetown [Barbados], Indian captain Rohit Sharma spoke about the Men in Blue's second ICC T20 World Cup title win, saying the feeling hasn't fully sunk in and he wants to live every moment to the fullest.
An excellent display of death bowling by the trio of Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya and stupendous knocks from Virat Kohli and Axar Patel helped India end their ICC trophy drought, securing their second Cup title ICC T20 World Cup by beating the first-time finalists from the South. Africa by seven runs in a thrilling final in Barbados on Saturday.
In a video released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Rohit said that the feeling of winning the tournament is surreal and still feels like a dream as the team has been working for it since a long time.
"Yes, the feeling is actually surreal. I would still say that it hasn't fully sunk in. It's been a great moment. From the moment the game ended until now, it feels like a dream. We still feel like it hasn't been like that." Although it has happened, it seems that it has not happened. That's the excitement, that's the feeling that we've dreamed about this for so long. We worked hard as a unit for so long. for a long period of time and seeing this now with us also makes you feel quite relieved because when you work hard for something and you finally get it, it feels good. Last night, I mean, we were having a. good time," Rohit said.
https://x.com/BCCI/status/1807980113985757365
The captain said the team celebrated their victory until the next morning, which caused him to lose sleep, but it was worth it.
"We had a great time with the teammates until very early in the morning. So again, I would say I didn't sleep properly. But that's absolutely fine with me. You know, not being able to sleep after a day like that, I'm totally okay. I have plenty of time to go home and sleep. So I'm going to catch up on that, but again, like I said, this moment was very, very special for all of us. I want to live every moment, every second, every minute. What's going on? I want to make the most of it. Look, those things aren't really... I don't think I can describe that because there's nothing written down. It was... You know, whatever was coming instinctively. ", said.
About his act of testing the soil of the Barbados pitch, Rohit said that the pitch helped them get the moment from him and he wanted to have a piece of it with him. He also said that he would forever remember the Kensington Oval ground in Barbados.
"You know... I felt the moment when I went to the field because that field gave us this. We played on that particular field and we won the game, that particular field too. I will remember that field forever in my life and that tone too I wanted to have a part of that with me. So yes, those moments are very, very special and the place where all our dreams came true, that was the feeling behind it," he concluded.
In the last match of the tournament, India won the toss and opted to bat first. After being reduced to 34/3, a 72-run counter-attacking partnership between Virat Kohli (76) and Axar Patel (47 off 31 balls, with one four and four sixes) restored India's position in the game. A 57-run stand between Virat and Shivam Dube (27 off 16 balls, with three fours and a six) took India to 176/7 in their 20 overs.
Keshav Maharaj (2/23) and Anrich Nortje (2/26) were SA's best players. Marco Jansen and Aiden Markram took a wicket each.
In the 177-run chase, the Proteas were reduced to 12/2 and then a 58-run partnership between Quinton de Kock (39 off 31 balls, with four boundaries and a six) and Tristan Stubbs (31 off 21 balls, with three fours and a six) brought SA back into the game. Heinrich Klaasen's half-century (52 off 27 balls, with two fours and five sixes) threatened to take the game away from India. However, Arshdeep Singh (2/18), Jasprit Bumrah (2/20) and Hardik Pandya (3/20) made an excellent comeback in the death overs, keeping SA at 169/8 in their 20 overs.
Virat got the 'Man of the Match' award for his performance. Now, by clinching their first ICC title since the Champions Trophy in 2013, India has ended its ICC trophy drought.
An excellent display of death bowling by the trio of Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya and stupendous knocks from Virat Kohli and Axar Patel helped India end their ICC trophy drought, securing their second Cup title ICC T20 World Cup by beating the first-time finalists from the South. Africa by seven runs in a thrilling final in Barbados on Saturday.
In a video released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Rohit said that the feeling of winning the tournament is surreal and still feels like a dream as the team has been working for it since a long time.
"Yes, the feeling is actually surreal. I would still say that it hasn't fully sunk in. It's been a great moment. From the moment the game ended until now, it feels like a dream. We still feel like it hasn't been like that." Although it has happened, it seems that it has not happened. That's the excitement, that's the feeling that we've dreamed about this for so long. We worked hard as a unit for so long. for a long period of time and seeing this now with us also makes you feel quite relieved because when you work hard for something and you finally get it, it feels good. Last night, I mean, we were having a. good time," Rohit said.
https://x.com/BCCI/status/1807980113985757365
The captain said the team celebrated their victory until the next morning, which caused him to lose sleep, but it was worth it.
"We had a great time with the teammates until very early in the morning. So again, I would say I didn't sleep properly. But that's absolutely fine with me. You know, not being able to sleep after a day like that, I'm totally okay. I have plenty of time to go home and sleep. So I'm going to catch up on that, but again, like I said, this moment was very, very special for all of us. I want to live every moment, every second, every minute. What's going on? I want to make the most of it. Look, those things aren't really... I don't think I can describe that because there's nothing written down. It was... You know, whatever was coming instinctively. ", said.
About his act of testing the soil of the Barbados pitch, Rohit said that the pitch helped them get the moment from him and he wanted to have a piece of it with him. He also said that he would forever remember the Kensington Oval ground in Barbados.
"You know... I felt the moment when I went to the field because that field gave us this. We played on that particular field and we won the game, that particular field too. I will remember that field forever in my life and that tone too I wanted to have a part of that with me. So yes, those moments are very, very special and the place where all our dreams came true, that was the feeling behind it," he concluded.
In the last match of the tournament, India won the toss and opted to bat first. After being reduced to 34/3, a 72-run counter-attacking partnership between Virat Kohli (76) and Axar Patel (47 off 31 balls, with one four and four sixes) restored India's position in the game. A 57-run stand between Virat and Shivam Dube (27 off 16 balls, with three fours and a six) took India to 176/7 in their 20 overs.
Keshav Maharaj (2/23) and Anrich Nortje (2/26) were SA's best players. Marco Jansen and Aiden Markram took a wicket each.
In the 177-run chase, the Proteas were reduced to 12/2 and then a 58-run partnership between Quinton de Kock (39 off 31 balls, with four boundaries and a six) and Tristan Stubbs (31 off 21 balls, with three fours and a six) brought SA back into the game. Heinrich Klaasen's half-century (52 off 27 balls, with two fours and five sixes) threatened to take the game away from India. However, Arshdeep Singh (2/18), Jasprit Bumrah (2/20) and Hardik Pandya (3/20) made an excellent comeback in the death overs, keeping SA at 169/8 in their 20 overs.
Virat got the 'Man of the Match' award for his performance. Now, by clinching their first ICC title since the Champions Trophy in 2013, India has ended its ICC trophy drought.
