Very moving, the last 6 months have been unfair

Bridgetown (Barbados), Jun 29 (PTI) India vice-captain Hardik Pandya said he was confident of an opportunity to shine after a tough few months ahead of the T20 World Cup, where he played a pivotal role in the team’s title win.

Pandya scored 144 runs and took 11 wickets in the showpiece, including three for 20 in the final over to guide India to a thrilling seven-run win over South Africa.

“It was very emotional, something was wrong, but it was something the whole nation wanted,” Pandya told the broadcaster after the match.

“Especially for me, after my six months, I didn’t say a word, things were unfair, but I knew there would be a moment when I could shine.

“An opportunity like this makes it even more special,” said Pandya, who was the target of public ire during the last IPL after replacing Rohit Sharma as Mumbai Indians captain.

“We always believed, stayed calm, let the pressure come on them. Lately, I knew I had to execute my plans. I’ve been in that situation, I enjoy the pressure situation,” he added.

Pace ace Jasprit Bumrah, who has taken 15 wickets, said staying clear and calm throughout the tournament worked for him.

“I tried to stay calm. We play this sport for this, I’m really over the moon, my son is here, my family is here, we worked really hard for this, there is no better feeling than this,” he said.

All-rounder Axar Patel, who made a vital 47 in the final, said he wanted to do something for the country.

“It means a lot to me. When I came to this World Cup, the last few years I was injured and not performing very well. I wanted to do something for India. I am proud,” he said.

“I tried to keep it simple. I just thought about another match. This worked for me. When I went to bat, I didn’t think about what would happen if I got out,” he said.

Talking about the combination of captain Rohit and coach Rahul Dravid, Patel said, “Rohit is amazing. He has led India very well in this tournament. Rahul bhai asked us to enjoy, not to take pressure. “I thought I was going down the order. When we lost three wickets, Rahul Bhai suddenly asked me to stand up. I didn’t have time to think about batting and that helped me,” Patel described his innings. PTI

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