Chennai, February 26 – After scoring a blazing 55 as India posted a massive 256/4 against Zimbabwe in their Super Eight clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai, left-handed opener Abhishek Sharma said he had been waiting for this moment in the tournament for quite some time and felt elated at making big runs for the defending champions.
Abhishek had scored three ducks in the league stage and even missed the match against Namibia due to a stomach infection that required hospitalization in New Delhi. However, his 50 off 26 – his first half-century in the T20 World Cup – will be a major boost for India's chances of reaching the semi-finals.
"It's always great to contribute to the team, and I had been waiting for this moment for quite some time, so finally it's happening. I'm really happy. I would say it wasn't intentional (to slow down), but I just wanted to spend some time at the crease because, if you see, I haven't even played 10-12 balls in the whole tournament yet," he told the broadcasters in the mid-innings chat.
He also credited the Indian team for backing him. "So, I just wanted to spend some time and I would like to thank the team for their support. The way they have treated me so far, it was like, at the end, you wouldn't feel that I wasn't scoring runs for the team.
"I mean, even in the practice sessions and hotels, they were all waiting for this moment, and they were all reminding me that, 'You have done this before as well, and your time is not so far. You just keep believing.' So that's what happened," added Abhishek.
When asked if India's innings in the later stages felt like a video game, Abhishek said, "Of course. I mean, the way they finished the innings, I feel the intent is back, the way they wanted, and played throughout the year. I mean, that was the plan we decided yesterday, as well as a batting unit that, if we feel that we have faced enough balls or maybe we have seen enough balls, just go out and express yourself.
"I mean, it wasn't going so far that well, but that was the plan we had yesterday and the day before as well at the practice sessions. As a batter and a batting unit, we have to go and express ourselves. That's how we were playing the whole year, and that's how we're going to back each other," he concluded.