Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin recently shared his experience of the nail-biting encounter between India and Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup match at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). In an Instagram video posted by the ICC, Ashwin discussed the tense final moments of the game, revealing the advice he received from Virat Kohli and his thoughts leading up to the winning shot.
Recalling the pressure-filled situation, Ashwin mentioned that he initially cursed Dinesh Karthik for assigning him the challenging task of facing the last ball. As he walked in to bat, he became aware of the enormity of the situation, with the crowd roaring around him.
Ashwin then discussed the guidance he received from Virat Kohli, who presented him with seven options for playing the final ball. However, Ashwin humorously admitted that he wasn’t capable of executing all those shots, which is why he was batting at number eight. Despite the overwhelming atmosphere, he focused on his own abilities and adjusted his mindset.
Ashwin recalled, “I was cursing Dinesh Karthik for asking me to do the tougher job. As I was just cursing him and I walked in, I realized the enormity of what I was getting into – people yelling. I haven’t seen such a crowd ever.”
Observing Kohli’s intense determination, Ashwin realized that his former captain was in a different zone. He acknowledged Kohli’s fierce determination and decided to bring himself back to reality, focusing on the task at hand.
“Virat Kohli gave me like 7 options to play off that one ball. If only I was that capable of playing all those shots, I wouldn’t be batting at No. 8. I just talked to myself, I couldn’t say that to him. I looked at Virat and his eyes seemed like he was possessed. And I said, okay he’s on another planet, let me come back to earth.” Ashwin revealed.
Regarding the crucial moment when Ashwin hit the winning runs, he expressed confidence in India’s victory once Mohammad Nawaz, the Pakistani left-arm spinner, bowled a wide. Ashwin believed that cricket often sends messages, and in that moment, he interpreted the wide as a sign of his triumph. It was a moment of positivity that fueled his determination to secure the win for India.
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Ashwin elaborated: “The moment Nawaz bowled a wide, I knew I won the contest. I think cricket, in so many ways, is going to give you a lot of messages that way. So that’s where I brought my positivity from. I knew I’d won the game.”
Reflecting on hitting the winning runs in an intense India-Pakistan encounter, Ashwin admitted that he thinks about that moment every night before he sleeps. Even when he watches videos of the match on social media, he contemplates the possibilities of the ball gripping the surface and hitting his pad instead. The margin was extremely close, but Ashwin firmly believes that he was destined to finish the game for his team.
The experienced off-spinner stated: “I think about it every night when I go to sleep. Every time I see the video on social media, I think about what if the ball had just gripped and hit my pad? It was pretty close for comfort. I just felt that the game was meant to be finished by me.”
