India’s legendary all-rounder Hardik Pandya said that winning the second consecutive T20 World Cup title is like the fulfillment of a personal promise for him and this is just the beginning of the team’s success. Pandya scored two half-centuries and bowled powerful spells when needed and took a total of nine wickets in the tournament.
Pandya told ‘Star Sports’, “After the victory in Barbados (against South Africa in the 2024 final), I had promised myself that whatever tournament I play, I will play to win and lift the trophy. This win against New Zealand in Ahmedabad is proof that the promise I made to myself has come true. And this is just the beginning. ”
Thirty-two-year-old Pandya is one of the four Indian players who have been included in the ICC’s 2026 T20 World Cup squad. Pandya also told about his own difficulties before the 2024 World Cup in America.
He said, “When we won the T20 World Cup in 2024, I was personally facing a lot of difficulties. A lot had happened before that tournament and things were not going my way. Before the start of the 2024 World Cup, I had made up my mind that I would make a comeback. ”
Pandya recalled his performance in the tournament which ended India’s long-running drought in ICC tournaments and said, “I wanted to make a huge comeback. I did this and helped my team win the trophy after 17 years. ”
Pandya was good with both bat and ball in the previous phase of the tournament. He took 11 wickets at an economy rate of 7.64 and scored 144 runs at an average of 48.00.
The Baroda all-rounder further said, “Talking about this T20 World Cup win in Ahmedabad, it is something I always play for. I play cricket to do good for my country and win trophies. I want to win all the trophies for India. ”
India on Sunday became the first team to retain the T20 World Cup title and has now won three titles after winning the first edition of the tournament in 2007.
