India vice-captain Hardik Pandya said he was confident of an opportunity to shine after a tough few months leading into the T20 World Cup, where he played a vital role in the team’s title win. (As It Happened | Scorecard)
Pandya hit 144 runs and took 11 wickets in the showpiece, including a three for 20 in the final to guide India to a thrilling seven-run win over South Africa.
"It's very emotional, something was not clicking, but this was something the whole nation wanted,” Pandya told the broadcaster after the match.
“Especially for me, after my six months, I haven't spoken a word, things have been unfair, but I knew there'd be a time I could shine.
"An opportunity like this makes it all the more special,” said Pandya, who was on the receiving end of the crowd's ire during the last IPL after replacing Rohit Sharma as Mumbai Indians’ captain.
“We always believed, stayed calm, let the pressure come to them. Last over, I knew I had to execute my plans. I have been in this situation, I enjoy the pressure situation,” he added.
Ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who took 15 wickets, said remaining clear and calm throughout the tournament worked for him.
"I tried to keep calm. We play the sport for this, I am really over the moon, my son is here, family is here, we've been working really hard towards this, no better feeling than that,” he said.
All-rounder Axar Patel, who made a vital 47 in the final, said he wanted to do something for the country.
“It means everything to me. When I came to this World Cup, the last few years I've been getting injured, not getting that performance. I wanted to do something for India. Feeling proud,” he said.
“I tried to keep it simple. Just thought of it as another match. That worked for me. When I went to bat, I didn't think of what'll happen if I get out,” he said.
Talking about the combination of captain Rohit and coach Rahul Dravid, Patel said, “Rohit is amazing. He led India very well in this tournament. Rahul bhai asked us to enjoy, not take pressure.”
“I thought I was going down the order. When we lost three wickets, Rahul bhai suddenly asked me to pad up. Didn't have time to think about batting and it helped me,” Patel described his innings.
