Axar Patel has seen a significant rise in his cricket career over the past year. The spin all-rounder, who was instrumental in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 victory, has maintained his strong form in the current three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.
In the first T20I of the series held in Pallekele on Saturday, July 27, the left-arm spinner delivered a notable performance, taking 2 wickets for 38 runs in four overs. His contribution was key to India’s 43-run victory over Sri Lanka.
Axar Patel’s game-changing over help India to take a 1-0 lead in the T20I series against Sri Lanka
Patel faced a challenging start, allowing 29 runs in his first three overs, but turned the game around with his fourth over. He dismissed Sri Lanka’s key batsmen Pathum Nissanka, who was on 79, and Kusal Perera, who was on 20, with his exceptional bowling in Pallekele.
This pivotal breakthrough led to a significant collapse in the Sri Lankan innings, shifting from a strong position of 140/1 to being all out for 170, ultimately losing by 43 runs. India took a 1-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.
After the match, Patel discussed his development as a cricketer, noting that handling high-pressure situations over the past year has greatly enhanced his success. He mentioned that his experience in various match scenarios has improved his ability to stay calm and focused, regardless of the outcome.
The T20 World Cup 2024 champion emphasized that playing under pressure has boosted his confidence and performance. Patel’s journey has been characterized by valuable lessons learned from both triumphs and challenges.
When I do well in high-pressure situations, my confidence grows: Axar Patel
His continuous engagement in high-presser matches has provided him with valuable insights, enabling him to refine his approach and maintain his composure under pressure. This blend of experience and confidence has been a driving force behind Axar’s success.
Axar Patel was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz: “When you continuously play cricket for India and when you do well in pressure situations, you get some confidence. And each time you get confidence, you always learn from it. It’s not that you’ll always do well in pressure situations and you might fail as well. But those situations teach you that I could have done things differently and that has taught me a lot in the last one year especially.”
Patel further noted, “So, when I do well in those situations, my confidence grows and when such situations arise again, I don’t get bogged down nor do I think ‘oh I need to do this, I need to do that.’ I focus a lot more on my strengths and I think that is really helping me. When you keep doing well, your confidence keeps building. One month ago, I did well in the World Cup and I’m carrying that confidence too which is reaping its benefits.”
