NEW DELHI: India skipper
Rohit Sharma
praised his team for their resilience after defeating
Pakistan
in a low-scoring
T20 World Cup
thriller at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York on Sunday.
India experienced a mid-innings collapse on a tricky two-paced pitch, resulting in a disappointing total of 119 in 19 overs. This was despite a resilient performance from
Rishabh Pant
, who scored 42 off 31 balls after being asked to bat under overcast conditions.
Pakistan, known for their unpredictable performances, appeared to have the game under control, needing just 48 runs from as many balls with eight wickets in hand. However, the pace duo of the ever-reliable
Jasprit Bumrah
(3/14) and
Hardik Pandya
(2/24) staged a remarkable comeback with incisive spells. Their efforts led to a flurry of wickets, and Pakistan ultimately fell short, finishing at 113 for seven in 20 overs.
Rohit commended the players, particularly pace spearhead Bumrah, for their determination and composure under pressure, highlighting their collective effort. Rohit expressed pride in the team's ability to secure a crucial victory despite challenging conditions and a modest total.
"We didn't bat well enough. I thought halfway through, after 10 overs, we were in a good position, you expect guys to stitch partnerships. We were 15-20 runs short, and every run matters. We were looking at 140, but nevertheless the bowlers did the job. It was a good wicket compared to the one we played on here [against Ireland]. There's that never-say-die attitude in the team. Only 119 on the board, and we wanted to make early inroads which we didn't. But at the halfway stage we got together and said if things can happen to us, they can happen to them too. The little contributions from everyone makes the difference," Rohit said at the post-match presentation.
Talking about Bumrah, Rohit categorically stated that he is not going to talk too much about him.
"Whoever has the ball wants to make the difference.
Bumrah
is going from strength to strength. I'm not going to talk too much about him, we want him to be in that kind of mindset till the end of this World Cup, he's a genius with the ball. The crowd was superb, they never disappoint, wherever we play in the world, they come out in huge numbers and support us. They'll be going home with a big smile on their face as well. Just the start of the tournament, we have a long way to go," Rohit concluded.
English (US) ·