Rohit Sharma eased the nerves of Indian cricket fans and followers at the post-match presentation ceremony after India’s win over Ireland at the 2024 T20 World Cup. Rohit said that his arm was only a little sore, after retiring hurt on 52 during the run-chase, that saw India win by eight wickets. Former South African cricketer Shaun Pollock, who was conducting the post-match ceremony, also won hearts with a brilliant gesture, as he offered his microphone to Rohit after the Indian skipper’s one malfunctioned.
Having played on a pitch with uneven bounce, Rohit gave a mixed reaction.
"Quite unsure of what to expect from the pitch. Not aware on what it is to play like on a pitch that's five months old. I don't think the wicket settled down even when we batted second," said Rohit.
In the middle of the interview, Rohit Sharma's microphone stopped working. Pollock was quick to the rescue, extending his own microphone for the Indian captain.
Rohit was also quizzed about his squad selection. He admitted that despite having four spinners in the squad, playing a spin-heavy attack on the New York pitch cannot be an option. However, he defended the decisions made during the squad selection.
"When we picked the team, we wanted to have the balance. Spin will play a part later on," stressed Rohit.
On a tricky pitch, India's pacers shared nine out of the 10 Irish wickets among them. Hardik Pandya got three, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh both got a couple, and Mohammad Siraj also chipped in with one.
India face Pakistan next on Sunday, June 9, on the very same pitch. Pakistan, meanwhile, will be coming from a game against USA in Dallas.
Despite the challenging pitch, India's convincing performance with both bat and ball is sure to give them a lot of confidence as they prepare to take on their arch-rivals.