Team India is in brimming with confidence after they clinched the five-match T20I series against West Indies with 4-1 margin. The team thrashed the hosts in the fifth and final match by 88 runs on Sunday at Lauderhill, Florida. India have now won six of their last seven T20I series. Skipper Rohit Sharma was rested from the final T20I match and Hardik Pandya took Team India’s charge and led them to a prestigious win. Rohit addressed the team after claiming the series and acknowledged every player for their combined efforts.
“We have talked many times about what we wanted to do, how we wanted to play. It is one thing talking about it and it is another to go out there and doing it. I felt everyone was trying to do that, in that, most of us actually went and did that. That to me was very pleasing. Not just me and him (Dravid) are talking, we all are doing that. Firstly, I want to appreciate everyone buying into the thought and then going out there and doing it. It takes a lot, it is not easy, we have tried it and we have succeeded in most occasions, which is a good thing,” said Rohit in a video posted on BCCI TV.
“It takes a lot, it is not easy, we have tried it and we have succeeded in most occasions, which is a good thing. That is what I wanted to address as captain, to the group because it was one important thing that we wanted to achieve and we have pretty much achieved it but it does not mean it is the end of the road for us. Lot to play for and we will continue to keep topping up those little aspects of the game and again, just wanted to appreciate, it takes a lot to change your game, it takes a lot to get into different mindset. For me individual brilliance is good, but those little little efforts from us is what will give us more results consistently and that is what we are looking for,” he added.
On the other hand, Hardik had also said that he will be ‘more than happy’ if he becomes a full-time captain of Team India.
“Yeah! why not? If I get an opportunity in the future, I’ll be more than happy to do that, but right now we have the World Cup, and we have the Asia Cup [coming up],” Hardik had said in a post-match presentation.
“We’re going to focus on that and make sure as a team what we’re doing, we continue [with that] and make sure that all the skillsets, which we are learning we can keep getting better at it, and at the same point of time enjoy the game as well,” he added.
Coming to Sunday’s match, Shreyas Iyer roared back to form with a stroke-filled 64 while the spinners picked up all the 10 wickets as India recorded yet another one-sided 88-run victory over West Indies.
It was Iyer’s half-century and useful contributions from Deepak Hooda (38 off 25 balls) and stand-in skipper Hardik Pandya’s (28 off 16 balls) cameo that propelled India to 188 for 7 in 20 overs after being put in to bat.
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Then, Pandya handed the new ball to Axar Patel (3-1-15-3), who quickly removed makeshift opener Jason Holder (0), Shamarah Brooks (13) and Devon Thomas (10) with three arm balls on a track where balls stopped and gripped off the surface.
West Indies were all out for 100 runs inside 16 overs as one of the most lopsided T20I bilateral series came to an end even though India won’t be complaining having ticked most of the boxes.
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