BRIDGETOWN (BARBADOS), Jun 21: A superlative fifty by Suryakumar Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah’s explosive spell thwarted Afghanistan’s ambition to upset India in the T20 World Cup Super 8s match, acknowledged skipper Rashid Khan.
Suryakumar smashed 53 off just 28 balls after India were in a precarious position at 62/3. His knock carried India to 181 for eight, which proved too big a target for Afghanistan, who went down by 47 runs.
“I think we started very well with the ball. But in the middle, when Surya came, that’s how he plays. He changed the tempo of the game, and he tries to play his shots. I think that’s something which makes him a unique player,” said Rashid in a press meet.
“He believes in his skills. It doesn’t matter wherever he plays, whatever the condition is, that’s how much belief he has on his skills,” he added.
Bumrah has been the standout bowler in the World Cup, and the pacer was unplayable during a dream spell of 4-1-7-3 against the Afghans.
Rashid said his team’s inexperience came to the fore against Bumrah.
“You’re facing a quality bowler like Bumrah. I think he’s very smart. And if you’re having those pre-planned shots against him, I think that’s where he gets the success. So, that’s a kind of learning for us. We hope that we don’t repeat that in future.
“Sometimes I feel like we have played pre-planned shots, which did cost us the game. And against the lower teams, it does work. But against the bigger teams, I don’t think it works. That’s the only thing I feel we need to learn.”
Rashid bowled beautifully to take three wickets, including that of Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant, but he failed to chip in with the bat.
Quizzed about his performance, Rashid said, he wouldn’t like to judge himself as he had played just three T20Is against India in nine years.
“My own performance? Oh, I think this is my second T20I against India or a third. So, I think this record is good enough for three T20s and more important is how you bowl. I don’t really see the numbers.
“It’s all about how you’re delivering and what you’re doing for the team. But in the last nine years of my career, if you play three games, I don’t think you can say your record is bad or good.
“I would still say you have to play more games. And that’s where your record get to know it’s good or bad,” he added.
Rashid also pitched for more cricket with big teams for Afghanistan.
“As I say, nine years, you play three games. And you’re also playing in bigger events. You’re not playing a bilateral series in the bigger events. But I’m quite happy with my numbers so far.
“It’s all about what team needs on a day, but still against the bigger teams in the World Cup, I’m trying my best to deliver the best for the team where we get the best opportunity to restrict the team,” he concluded. (PTI)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
