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In an interview with the Indian Express, Suryakumar Yadav reflected on the preparations following India’s triumph in the T20 World Cup. India secured their second T20 World Cup title after a 17-year gap, marking their first ICC championship victory in over a decade.
During the final match, India gained the upper hand when South Africa needed 30 runs from as many balls. The trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Hardik Pandya bowled the last five overs brilliantly to seal India’s victory. Hardik Pandya played a pivotal role by successfully defending 16 runs in the final over and also claimed two crucial wickets.
The defining moment came when Pandya dismissed David Miller with the first ball of the over, a catch spectacularly taken by Suryakumar Yadav at long-on in a relay style catch, which became a widely discussed highlight. The third umpire reviewed the replays and upheld the decision in India’s favor. Yadav also secured the catch off Kagiso Rabada’s bat on the penultimate delivery of the match, further cementing India’s victory.
SKY in his interaction with Indian Express recalled the “mistake” that they did not do this time what they did in the ICC World Cup final. Surya said that they felt like they had already won the World Cup and they just needed to go to the ground and pick up the trophy.
“The way we were playing in India, a day before the final, we thought we just had to go to the ground and pick the trophy. It was a learning experience for us and we rectified the errors we committed. In 2023, we were thinking a lot which we didn’t do this time. Aur dekho kaam ho gaya (we got the job done),” said Suryakumar Yadav to Indian Express.
However, he discussed the shifts in the team’s mindset leading up to this T20 World Cup. They maintained a perfect record throughout the tournament and clinched narrow victories against Pakistan and Australia. They overcame the formidable Australians and ultimately knocked them out of the competition.
He emphasized that none of the players mentioned winning the tournament before it began, focusing instead on staying grounded in reality.
“Before the start of this tournament, we decided that we wouldn’t talk about what lies ahead in the tournament. Nobody thought about Super 8 and the same was true for the finals in Barbados. Our mind has to be where our feet are that was our motto,” Suryakumar added.
In his post-match press conference, Rohit Sharma expressed his deep desire to secure the trophy, highlighting it as his ultimate objective. He also extended gratitude to his players and support staff, crediting them for their pivotal roles in the team’s success.
Rohit finished the tournament with 257 runs, the highest for India, while Suryakumar contributed 199 and Virat Kohli’s 76 runs were crucial in setting a formidable total in the final. South Africa faced the daunting task of chasing a record-breaking score to claim the World Cup, succumbing once more to the pressure.
Following India’s T20 World Cup victory, Rohit, Virat, and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirements from T20Is, marking a transition phase for the team and paving the way for the next generation of players.
