India all-rounder Axar Patel opened up about his communication with stalwart batter Virat Kohli, which helped him stay level-headed when he came out to bat on a different spot in the T20 World Cup final.
In a nail-biting thriller that is still remembered for its heroics, the pace trio of Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Burmah and Arshdeep Singh defended 30 runs in the final five overs to win the coveted trophy.
Axar’s 47 off 31 deliveries, which changed the dynamics of the game with Virat Kohli on the other side, often goes unnoticed.
India were in a peculiar situation against South Africa in Barbados. The Proteas bowlers reduced the Rohit Sharma-led side to 34/3 inside the powerplay.
Axar, who occasionally came out to bat up in the order for the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League and in the group stage against Pakistan, forged a crucial 72-run partnership to lay the foundation for a competitive total.
Unlike the IPL, stakes were high when Axar came to know he would bat up in the order after Suryakumar Yadav’s dismissal. However, driven by calmness, nervousness wasn’t a factor that affected Axar’s performance.
“I wasn’t nervous. Obviously, there is pressure on you, but at the time, I didn’t understand how to react. I don’t think when I went to bat, there was anything going on in my mind. I had gone with a see-ball, hit-ball mindset. I was not thinking about anything, not worrying about the consequences; there were no second thoughts in my mind,” Axar told ESPNcricinfo.
With the presence of a player like Kohli, the pressure couldn’t force Axar to drop his shoulders. Kohli held on to his wicket, which allowed the left-handed batter to take a risk and effortlessly clear the rope.
“I consistently communicated with Virat [Kohli] bhai, so I didn’t feel that I have come in early and that I have to do something different. I kept talking with Virat bhai, and we communicated clearly about what we have to do,” Axar added.
After Axar fell short of a well-deserved half-century, Kohli and Shivam Dube applied the finishing touches to take India to 176/7.
Despite Heinrich Klaasen’s bashing, India managed to defend the total and end their 13-year-long ICC World Cup trophy drought.
WITH INPUTS FROM ANI
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