Spinners spun their web to take all 10 wickets as India romped to an 88-run win over West Indies in the fifth and final Twenty20 cricket international on Sunday. The visiting side ended the assignment with two straight victories and a 4-1 win overall in the series. Also Read | ‘Rubbish batting. No common sense’: Azharuddin’s wild tweet after India women win silver at CWG 2022 rocks the internet
India put up 188-7 after choosing to bat first, thanks to Shreyas Iyer's 40-ball 64 which included eight fours and two sixes. After his exit, Deepak Hooda hit 38 off 25 while Hardik Pandya chipped in with a 28-run cameo towards the end. Pandya was also the captain, with regular skipper Rohit Sharma being rested for the final 20-over game against the Caribbean side.
Pandya was tipped for India's captaincy after making a strong return to competitive cricket through the recent IPL edition. He led newbies Gujarat Titans to their maiden title. The Indian played as a pure batter after his lower back injury. But his return to full fitness is a massive boost to the team management that's searching for an ideal eleven in the shortest format.
Praised for his tactical acumen and bowling changes, the flamboyant all-rounder said he would happily take over full-time captaincy moving forward. But his focus currently remains on the upcoming Asia Cup and World T20.
{{/usCountry}}Praised for his tactical acumen and bowling changes, the flamboyant all-rounder said he would happily take over full-time captaincy moving forward. But his focus currently remains on the upcoming Asia Cup and World T20.
{{/usCountry}}“Very special to get a chance to lead your country. And getting that chance and getting that victory means a lot to me as a captain and an individual. I was just following our captain’s roles," said Pandya in the post-match presentation.
“(Do you see yourself as permanent captain?) Yeah, why not? If I get an opportunity, I’ll be more than happy to do that. But for now, we have a World Cup and Asia Cup now so we need to focus on that and use our skillsets there,” he added.
Pandya also heaped praise on the new batch of players and their playing style – a glimpse of India's aggressive approach in the shortest format, especially when the World T20 is less than three months away.
“The kind of talent the players have and the freedom we have. This is the new India how they are playing. They are expressing themselves well, and when you have freedom you get more dangerous. “Credit to management and whole group to make that environment. They are not worried about whether they won’t get picked or whether they will get dropped,” added the 28-year-old.
When asked about India's preparations for the 20-over competition in Australia, Pandya said, "Absolutely close. Just got to know how to keep getting better. Pressure and environment wise we are ready but in this sport you never stop learning.”