Ahmedabad, March 8 (NationPress) Following a commanding 96-run victory against New Zealand in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup final, Indian players expressed their sentiments on this historic achievement, marking their third title in the tournament with visible emotion.

While defending a substantial score of 255/5, Bumrah utilized his exceptional slower balls effectively, taking 4 wickets for just 15 runs, leading India to become the first team to secure a T20 World Cup on home turf and successfully defend their title in this fast-paced format.

"Honestly, we've been preparing for this for the past one and a half years. We are ready to bat in any position for the team's benefit. Our mindset is geared towards meeting the challenges head-on. [In terms of fielding], the boys always rise to the occasion when it matters. Although today’s fielding wasn’t flawless, we managed some crucial catches, and ultimately, I'm thrilled with our victory in the final. The next few days will definitely be a grand celebration with the team,” stated Tilak Varma post-match.

Arshdeep Singh, who did not take any wickets in the final, remarked, "I immediately ran over to apologize to Mitchell. The ball reversed when I threw it, and it accidentally hit him. It feels wonderful right now, but I believe the emotions will settle in over the next couple of days. This team is filled with match-winners, and the outcome adds the perfect finishing touch. As bowlers, our task is to restrict the opponents to below 250 if we set a target of 250, and when bowling first, our goal is to minimize their score as much as we can,” commented Arshdeep Singh.

All-rounder Shivam Dube, who scored a quick 26 off 8 balls, shared, “I had always been prepared to hit some big sixes. That has been my role since the tournament began. I trust my abilities and believe that whenever I get a chance, I’ll go for the big hits. I have improved significantly in my bowling, but it didn’t translate in this tournament. Hopefully, we can perform even better in the future,” said Shivam Dube.

After a challenging tournament, Abhishek Sharma finally shone in the final with a fifty. He expressed, "It was clear in my mind that I wanted to share this before, but today is the perfect day for it. The captain and coach believed in me, even when I doubted myself. I had never faced such a tough tournament before. I was focused on my process, taking it one match at a time, but it was a struggle. I appreciate this team for their unwavering support. It was challenging for me as I had performed well throughout the year, but I faltered in this major tournament. The trust that the team and management placed in me was crucial. I became emotional during the tournament and wanted to talk to the coach and captain, who reassured me that I would help win significant games. The crowd has been tremendously supportive, even during tough phases,” said Abhishek Sharma.

“A huge shoutout to our support staff. They have been incredible. It’s a fantastic feeling for everyone to be involved in this experience, and I am confident there’s much more to come,” added Washington Sundar.

“It’s an amazing feeling to win back-to-back trophies. I’m really happy for Abhishek; he performed well today. We had many discussions about our struggles, but now we’ve triumphed in the World Cup,” concluded Varun Chakravarthy.