"Hardik told me…" Axar Patel reveals Hardik Pandya's tips which helped him in ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final

Axar Patel scored crucial 47 runs against South Africa in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final in Barbados.

Star Indian cricket team all-rounder Axar Patel had a bitter-sweet outing in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 finale against South Africa in Barbados on June 29.

The left-handed batter Axar played a stunning knock of 47 runs in 31 deliveries, including four maximums and one boundary, which helped India post 176/7 in 20 overs.

During South Africa’s chase, they needed 54 runs from 36 balls when left-arm spinner Axar came into the attack to bowl the 15th over of the match.

It turned out to be a nightmare for Axar as the Proteas hard-hitter Heinrich Klaasen hammered 22 runs, including two wides. Klaasen smashed two sixes and two boundaries in Axar’s over, which turned the match in South Africa’s favor as they needed just 30 runs from the last five overs.

However, the Indian pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Arshdeep Singh bowled brilliantly as Men in Blue won the thrilling clash by seven runs and clinched their second ICC T20 World Cup. The Rohit Sharma-led side also ended India’s 11-year-old ICC trophy drought.

Just watch the ball and hit the ball: Axar recalls crucial advice given by Hardik Pandya

All-rounder Axar walked in at No. 5 when India were reeling at 34/3 after losing skipper Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Suryakumar Yadav. Axar then stitched a crucial partnership of 72 runs with veteran batter Virat Kohli, which helped the Men in Blue to reach a fighting total against South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 final.

In a recent interview with Cricbuzz, the star all-rounder Axar revealed the small pep talk he had with Hardik before walking out to bat.

Axar said that Hardik said in Gujarati that don’t take any stress. “When I was going down the staircase, Hardik told me in Gujarati not to take any stress. ‘Just watch the ball and hit the ball,’ he said and it stuck with me.“

“I hit a boundary off the first ball I faced. I became very confident. I spoke to Virat bhai and he kept guiding me. He said, ‘I’m there. If you think that you can hit, then go for it.’ The constant communication was helpful. The rest is history,” Axar said.

Rohit Told me to wear pads: Axar Patel

The 30-year-old all-rounder also recalled the moment when there was a stressed situation in the Indian camp after they lost skipper Rohit Sharma and wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant in the same over of left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj.

“Rohit bhai was standing beside me when Rishabh Pant got out,” Axar said, recalling the incident.

Axar further added that Rohit told him to wear pads before Yuzvendra Chahal came to him and said even the head coach Rahul Dravid wants him to pad up and get ready to bat next. Axar said that while padding up, he was blank and didn’t know what to do.

“He told me ‘Axar pads pehen le’ [Axar, pad up]. After that (Yuzvendra) Chahal came running to tell me that Rahul (Dravid) bhai wants me to pad up [too]. When I was padding up I did not know what to do. We were two wickets down and I had still not analysed the pitch. Next, I saw Suryakumar (Yadav) also got out. Things happened so suddenly that I did not have time to think,” Axar added.

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