'If you think you can...': Axar Patel recalls Virat Kohli's words during crucial partnership in T20 WC final
Axar recalls Kohli's words during crucial partnership in T20 WC final
India beat South Africa by 7 runs in the 2024 T20 World Cup final, at the Kensington Oval, Barbados, on June 29 to end their 11-year-long ICC title drought and also claim their second T20 WC title. Rohit Sharma-led India opted to bat versus Aiden Markram & Co. but were reeling at 34-3 before Player-of-the-Match Virat Kohli (76) and Axar Patel (47) stitched a valuable 74-run fourth-wicket stand to take India out of troubled waters. The Men in Blueposted 176-7, with Shivam Dube also contributing with a fine 16-ball 27.
In reply, SA were restricted for 169/8, despiteneeding 30 off 30 balls at one stage, courtesy of Hardik Pandya's 3 for 19 and two-fers each from Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh. Recently, spin-bowling all-rounder Axar Patel recalled his crucial partnership with Kohli and how the latter helped him gain confidence.
Axar was promoted at No. 5, to maintain a left-right batting combination, when Suryakumar Yadav was out for cheap, leaving Kohli stranded at one end. Speaking to Cricbuzz, the 30-year-old recalled, "Rohit bhai was standing beside me when Rishabh Pant got out. He told me 'Axar pads pehen le (Axar, pad up)'. After that (Yuzvendra) Chahal came running to tell me that Rahul (Dravid) Bhai wants me to pad up. When I was padding up I did not know what to do. We were two wickets down and I had still not analysed the pitch. Next I saw Suryakumar (Yadav) also got out. Things happened so suddenly that I did not have time to think. When I was going down the staircase, Hardik told me in Gujarati not to take any stress. 'Just watch the ball and hit the ball,' he said and it stuck with me."
'I'm there. If you think that you can hit, then go for it'
The left-hander started off with a boundary which settled his nervesbefore Kohli's words pumpedhim up. He added, "I hit a boundary off the first ball I faced. I became very confident. I spoke to Virat bhai and he kept guiding me. He said, 'I'm there. If you think that you can hit, then go for it.' The constant communication was helpful. The rest is history."
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Axar had a good run in the T20 WC, held in West Indies and the USA, with 9 wickets and a crucial knock in the summit clash. He also took a memorable catch of Mitchell Marsh in the India versus Australia Super 8 clash. He will next be seen in action during India's white-ball tour of Sri Lanka where he is part of both the squads.