Asia Cup 2022: I'll take wins like this over one-sided wins, says Rohit Sharma

Pandya adds that he had fancied his chances, despite a tricky situation at the end

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Photo: AFP
Photo: AFP

Published: Mon 29 Aug 2022, 12:00 AM

After Hardik Pandya took the game to a positive conclusion for India, captain Rohit Sharma said that they still believed that they could pull off a victory against Pakistan despite the fact that a mid-match collapse had seen them behind the eight-ball.

The match against the arch-rivals had gone down to the wire before India nicked it by five wickets, with two balls to spare, at a sold-out Dubai International Cricket Stadium.


"Halfway through the innings, we still believed," Rohit Sharma said at the post-match presentation.

"That's the kind of belief we want to have in this group, where you're not in the game and you still manage to pull it off. We want to make sure they've all been given enough clarity around what to do in the middle. I'll take wins like this over one-sided wins,” he added.


Rohit was also pleased with how the pace attack has shaped over the past year or so. "The fast bowlers have done very well in the last 12 months or so. We were challenged at times but overcoming those challenges will take us forward,” he said.

Rohit heaped praise upon Pandya. “Since Hardik's comeback into this team, he's been brilliant. Had a great IPL too. We all know of his batting abilities;, he has been brilliant with the bat since he came into the team,” said Rohit.

Meanwhile, Rohit’s opposite number Babar Azam felt that they were perhaps 10 to 15 runs short of putting up a competitive target.

"With the way we started, we were 10 to 15 runs short", said Azam. "We wanted to have 15 or so to defend for Nawaz, but that wasn't to be, and Pandya finished it off wonderfully."

"We came back thanks to our outstanding fast bowling. Shahnawaz Dahani stepped up with the bat which really gave us something to defend, but it's a shame we couldn't finish it off,” he added.

Pandya said that he had fancied his chances, despite a tricky situation at the end.

"It's important to assess the situation and use your weapons," said Pandya.

"The hard lengths particularly. But you have to use them wisely. When it comes to batting, with the chances I take when executing, I'm likely to pull it off when I'm calmer. I knew they had Nawaz waiting to bowl, and while we needed seven, even if we needed 15, I would have fancied my chances,” he added.

"I feel the bowler is under a lot more pressure than me. I just needed one six in that final over. I try to keep things simple."

Ravindra Jadeja, who along with Pandya, helped India reach close to the target, said that the pair wanted to take the game deep.

"We know they have a very good bowling attack and they don't give loose balls. We wanted to take it deep. I could've finished the game — the left-arm spinner vs me — but Hardik did it. He knew his strengths and I was also looking to play positively and give him the strike,” said Jadeja.

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