India wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan continued to impress ahead of the T20 World Cup and went on to score an explosive half-century in the warm-up match against South Africa. He was elevated in the batting order and opened the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma as Sanju Samson got dropped from the playing XI due to poor form. The 27-year-old scored 53 runs from just 20 deliveries and played a key role in the Men in Blue posting a humongous total of 240/6 on the board.
India claim victory in warm-up match
The target of 241 would prove to be too much for the Proteas and they eventually got restricted down to 210/7 in 20 overs, losing the match by 30 runs. Speaking after the match, Kishan remarked that with the T20 World Cup coming up, he wanted to open the innings. He further said that it was a great pitch to bat on.
"I was really excited for Wednesday. I wanted to open the innings. Batting at number three, I enjoyed that situation, but with the World Cup coming up, no matter what position I bat in, my focus is always on doing my best for the team. I think it’s about staying in the present, watching the ball and playing the shots that are required at that point in time. I’m not putting too much thought or effort into it. I’m just reacting, watching the ball, and playing accordingly, and that seems to be working well for me," Kishan said after the match.
"Some days you feel really good, some days you don’t. On this particular day, I also have to give credit to the pitch; it was tremendous to bat on, even in the second innings. I trusted the wicket and the bounce. With the World Cup so close, it’s important to be in the mindset that if the ball is there, even if there’s a fielder, you back yourself and go for it," he added.
Kishan's praise for Tilak
Kishan also showered praise on Tilak Varma, who made a brilliant return to the team and played a valiant knock of 45 runs against South Africa. The latter had been out of action since early January due to a groin injury and had entirely missed the T20I series against New Zealand. However, he made an impressive comeback and Kishan highlighted how important of a player Tilak is for the team.
"He’s very important to us. He’s not just a batsman anymore; he gives us a few overs, especially when two left-handers are batting. He’s a very good fielder, and the way he’s batting these days, you need someone at number three who can rotate the strike and keep things moving," Kishan further said.
Meanwhile, India are set to begin their T20 World Cup campaign on February 7 with the clash against USA at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai. The hosts have been in terrific form coming into the tournament and are the favourites to lift the trophy for the third time in history.