Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 31 (IANS) Wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan said his focus remains firmly on carrying his good form into the upcoming T20 World Cup after scoring a blistering 42-ball century in India’s 46-run win over New Zealand to complete a 4-1 series win at the Greenfield International Stadium on Saturday.

“Honestly, not much. I felt the ball was doing a bit early on, but batting alongside Abhishek Sharma really helps. You see his intent, you understand the momentum the team needs, and then you just try to watch the ball and play accordingly. That approach worked well for me today.”

“I still feel I’m not there yet. Yes, I’ve done well and I’m getting these awards, but my focus is firmly on the World Cup. That’s where the extra effort is needed. What’s important is carrying this form forward and continuing to contribute there,” said Kishan in the post-match presentation ceremony.

He added that personal milestones were secondary to the team’s goals. “I think that’s the mindset of everyone in our team now. Even if you’re close to a milestone, it doesn’t really matter. If you start taking singles at that stage, you might feel later that you missed an opportunity to go big. So if the ball is there to hit, you have to go for it. The focus is on winning matches, not personal milestones.”

Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, who claimed his second five-wicket haul in T20Is, said he was pleased to bounce back after a difficult start to his bowling spell, where he conceded 40 runs in the first two overs.

“It was a great learning for me as well – to stay in the game and not think about what happened in the past or in the first spell. That was the message from the coaching staff. I just wanted to stay in the present and do what was right in front of me,” he said.

He admitted to feeling pressure despite appearing calm on the field. “It’s just for the camera that I look calm – I’m definitely feeling the pressure as well. Lately, I’ve been going for quite a few runs, so I’m just trying to work that out with Morne and give my best for the team.

“I enjoyed some of the shots Finn played. But yes, I guess we could have planned a little better according to the wicket. Chasing 250-plus, they were always going to come hard. We could have executed a bit better, but the plan was to stay in the present and just enjoy it.”

Arshdeep also revealed the team’s mindset during the huddle after the powerplay. “There’s no secret there. The talk was about body language – about giving it our all and giving ourselves the best chance to restrict them to around 180 or 190. They played really well and scored a lot of runs, but we’re happy to be on the winning side.”

Reflecting on India’s preparations for the T20 World Cup, Arshdeep said, “Yes, pretty happy with everyone performing well individually. But a perfect team game hasn’t come yet – we haven’t clicked in all departments at the same time. That’s a good sign too, because hopefully in the World Cup, all three phases of the game can come together and we can have a perfect game.”

–IANS

nr/