Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh starred with the ball in India’s seven-wicket victory over USA at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York on Wednesday (June 12).
Opting to bowl first, India restricted the USA to 110/8 in 20 overs. Arshdeep was the chief destroyer with the ball, claiming four wickets by conceding only nine runs in his four-over quota – the best bowling figures by an Indian in the T20 World Cup.
Chasing the target on a tricky pitch, the Men in Blue were reduced to 39/3 but Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten half-century and Shivam Dube’s composed 31* took India over the line with 10 deliveries to spare.
It was India's third successive victory in the showpiece tournament which guided the side into the Super-8 stage.
After the game, Arshdeep Singh said he is not quite satisfied and wants to become a reliable lower-order batter as well, for which he is putting in the hard yards with batting coach Vikram Rathour.
"We are always learning, always trying to get better at all the skills, be it bowling, batting, or fielding, because you never know when the team needs those runs," Arshdeep, who was adjudged Player-of-the-Match, said in the post-match presser.
"It can be two runs, four runs, anything. So, you just have to give your best. And I am trying to work as hard as possible with Vikram Bhai regarding my batting as well," he added.
Arshdeep came in at No.9 in the marquee clash against Pakistan in New York on June 9, scoring nine off 13 balls before getting run out. The left-arm quick said he asked the team management to send him ahead of Jasprit Bumrah in that match.
"...Jassi Bhai (Bumrah) was supposed to go before me, but I just went in after asking Rohit (Sharma). They were surprised with it, but I told them I will go up regardless of whatever you say," Arshdeep revealed.
"I will go at nine because I faced the quickest bowlers in the last game. So yeah, that's the plan now. I am very confident about my batting. And be it fielding or bowling, you just try to keep getting better," he said.
Speaking about the tournament, Arshdeep said adapting to the conditions across varied venues will be crucial to success.
India played their first three games in New York while they will face Canada in the last group-stage fixture in Florida Saturday (June 15), following which the tournament will shift to the Caribbean.
"The main thing is how we adapt to the conditions and to the situations. If there is help in the wicket, we try to get early wickets and restrict them (opponents) to a low total and if we are batting first, we try to make as many as possible and give the bowlers good enough chance to restrict the opposition," he said.
Asked if the dressing room is on a high after three successive wins, Arshdeep Singh said the players are trying to stay steady irrespective of results.
"...the emotions stay the same...So yeah, just try to be stable enough, whether we win, whether we lose, and whether we have a good day or a bad day," he said.
(With PTI Inputs)
