'I think Mohammed Shami's last over was crucial, and actually that got us the victory. Not my two sixes.'
Vice-captain Rohit Sharma emphasised on India's recent winning streak in cricket’s shortest format, saying it is a good sign heading into the T20 World Cup.
India took an unassailable 3-0 lead in the ongoing five-match T20 International series against New Zealand, clinching victory via the Super Over in the third match, in Hamilton, on Wednesday.
Rohit, who has forged two great opening partnerships for India with KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan, said the team management will decide which of them comes to the fore later for the T20 World Cup.
"Whenever anyone's got an opportunity, they have made it count. Shikhar, as well. When he played the last series against Sri Lanka, he got a crucial 50, and then KL has been in good form over the last seven-eight T20s; he's got probably four or five fifties," Rohit said.
"So it's a good sign for the team. That's how we look at it. It's important for most of our players to stay in good form. And then what happens with the final eleven and everything will be only decided once all the players are available and the captain and management sit together and identify who are the right guys to play that particular game. That's how I look at it.
"For me, I want everyone to stay in good form, which has happened through the series. It is a great sign for us moving forward in this particular format at least. I wish the next two games too we don't relax. We just want to keep the momentum going. It's a good sign," he added.
India wouldn't have won the third T20 International without his two Super Over sixes, but a modest Rohit credited Mohammed Shami for the victory.
Shami took two wickets in the final over to dismiss both Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor.
Rohit hit two sixes off the last two balls in the Super Over after the teams were tied on 179 runs each following fifties from Rohit and Williamson.
"I think Mohammed Shami's last over was crucial, and actually that got us the victory. Not my two sixes. It was Shami's over where we defended nine runs. It's not easy with the dew," Rohit said, at the post-match press conference.
India’s vice-captain added, "The wicket settling in nicely and two set batsmen out there as well... One batsman was batting on 95 and their most experienced player was at the other end. Hats off to Shami to bowl that over and get us back into the game and into the Super Over."
Last, but not the least, Rohit opined that it was tough not to feel for New Zealand who have been on the wrong end of Super Over results for a while now.
"Kane Williamson played a solid innings. Of course, their team will feel disappointed about how they could lose such a game. But we have to look at how we came back into the game.
"The last over that Shami bowled was very important for us and a positive sign because we could play a game like this in the World Cup. Then what do we do.
"We can't lose hope. We will need to stay strong, even if you need to defend five runs, you have to show a positive attitude, and we showed that here."
