Shivam Dube revealed he travelled home by train after India’s T20 World Cup win due to flight unavailability, calling the experience “quite tough” while avoiding recognition.
The 19th edition of the IPL is scheduled to begin on March 28, with franchises already starting their training camps.
Reflecting on the triumph, Gambhir described winning a World Cup as India’s head coach as a deeply emotional experience and a privilege to once again contribute in national colours.
Chasing 196 in a must-win Super Eights clash against the West Indies at Eden Gardens, Samson’s knock helped India record a five-wicket victory with four balls to spare, setting up a semi-final showdown against England in Mumbai on Thursday.
Dube’s all-round show, scoring 66 with the bat and 2/35 with the ball, along with Varun Chakravarthy’s superb 3/14, extended India’s winning streak to 12 matches in T20 World Cups.
Chasing 194, the Netherlands began on a promising note, negotiating the initial threat from Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh before Varun Chakravarthy’s introduction opened the doors for India.
Batting at No. 6, Dube produced a stunning cameo, racing to a 15-ball fifty, the third-fastest by an Indian in men’s T20Is.
India left out Ishan Kishan due to a niggle and replaced him with an extra bowler in Arshdeep Singh but the plan didn’t work out in terms of the eventual outcome as the hosts lost the contest by 50 runs.
The last men’s T20I at ACA-VDCA was the 1st T20I between India and Australia on November 23, 2023, just four days after Australia defeated India in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup final.
After enduring a lean patch in the shortest format, Suryakumar rediscovered his touch with a decisive 82 in the second T20I, a knock that ended his 468-day wait for a T20I fifty.
