“Been working with Vikram bhai on my batting….”: Pacer Arshdeep Singh
New York [US], June 13 (ANI): Following his side’s seven-wicket win over the USA in their ICC T20 World Cup clash, Indian pacer Arshdeep Singh said that he has been working with batting coach Vikram Rathour to improve his skills with the willow and he has a lot of self-confidence in his batting.
Arshdeep Singh’s spell, followed by Suryakuamar Yadav and Shivam Dube’s 72-run partnership, ensured India maintained their unbeaten run in the ongoing T20 World Cup as they clinched a 7-wicket win over the co-hosts USA at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Wednesday.
Speaking about his batting against arch-rivals Pakistan, when he added nine useful runs off 13 balls in the end, including a boundary, Arshdeep said, “I am trying to work as hard as possible with Vikram Bhai regarding my batting as well. And an instance from the last game, Jassi Bhai was supposed to go before me, but I just went in after asking Rohit. They were surprised with it, but now I told them I would go up regardless of whatever you say. I will go at nine because I faced the quickest bowlers in the last game. So yeah, that’s the plan now. I am very confident about my batting. And be it fielding or bowling, you just try to keep getting better.”
On his bowling spell, during which he took four wickets for just nine runs, Arshdeep said that it felt good performing well and getting the right result for the team, and his family attended the match as well.
Speaking about the emotion in the dressing room following qualification to the Super Eights stage, Arshdeep said, “There was no change, the emotions stay the same. That’s the talk of the dressing room as well. How to be in the same mood, irrespective of the result of the teams you play. So yeah, just try to be stable enough, whether we win, whether we lose, and whether we have a good day or a bad day.
On battling different conditions in West Indies during the Super Eights, Arshdeep said that right now, the team is enjoying their win and the focus is on staying in the present.
Coming to the match, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma won the toss and opted to bowl first. The USA put on a fighting total of 110/8 in their 20 overs, with Nitish Kumar (27 in 23 balls, with two fours and a six) and Steven Taylor (24 in 30 balls, with two sixes) playing crucial knocks.
Arshdeep (4/9) and Hardik Pandya (2/14) were the top bowlers for India. Axar Patel also got a wicket.
In the run-chase of 111, India lost skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli for single-digit scores and Rishabh Pant (18 in 20 balls, with a four and six). India was left struggling at 39/3 in 7.3 overs. Then, Suryakumar Yadav (50 in 49 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and Shivam Dube (31* in 35 balls, with a four and six) stitched a match-winning 72-run stand for the fourth wicket.
Saurabh Netravalkar (2/18) was the pick of the bowlers for the USA.
Arshdeep took home the ‘Player of the Match’ award for his spell.