T20 WC: Ishan Kishan praises Bumrah, Hardik; calls India’s win a big confidence booster

Colombo : After Team India thrashed Pakistan by 61 runs at the Group A match in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, Ishan Kishan reflected on the challenges of batting on a tricky surface and the importance of backing his strengths in a high-pressure India-Pakistan contest.

During the post-match presentation ceremony, Kishan, who got ‘Player of the Match’ for his blistering 77, said that “The wicket was not that easy. Sometimes, you have to believe and focus on your strengths. I was watching the ball, sticking to my strengths and running as much as possible,” Kishan said.

He highlighted the work he has put into improving his offside game to better control the bowlers’ lines. “I worked a lot on my off-side game, so I can have them bowl where I want them to.”
On a large ground, Kishan emphasised the value of placement. “On a big ground, you get bigger gaps. Trying to hit the gaps, trying to take two runs. Knew we had to put up a total like 160-170, which would be a good total for us,” he explained.

Calling the India-Pakistan rivalry special, Kishan added, “India-Pakistan, always a special game, not just for us but for our country as well. They had pretty good spinners on their side. Winning this against Pakistan will give us confidence going forward.”

He also reserved special praise for India’s pace spearheads Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya. “They bowled tremendously well. Pace bowlers, when I was batting, did not feel like they were doing much for pacers. We know how Jassi can bowl, whether with the new ball or at the death. Credit goes to Hardik for bowling in tight areas and for executing his plans,” Kishan added.

Coming to the match, Pakistan won the toss and chose to field first. The masterclass knock by Ishan Kishan (77 off 40) and crucial knocks from skipper Suryakumar Yadav (32 in 29 balls, with three fours) and Shivam Dube (27 in 17 balls, with three fours and a six) took India to a competitive total of 175/7 on a tough pitch.

Ayub (3/25 in four overs) was the pick of the bowlers for Pakistan, while Shaheen Shah Afridi (1/31 in two overs), Usman Tariq (1/24 in four overs) and Agha (1/10 in two overs) were also among the wickets. During the run-chase, Pakistan was off to a nightmarish start as Sahibzada Farhan fell for a four-ball duck to Hardik Pandya, with Rinku Singh getting a top-edge, removing him for a four-ball duck.