Axar Patel has seen a remarkable rise in his cricket career over the past year. The all-rounder, who played a pivotal role in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, has continued to impress with his performance in the ongoing three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka.
In the first match of the three-match T20I series at Pallekele, the left-arm spinner finished with impressive figures of 2/38 in four overs to play a crucial role in the Indian cricket team’s 43-run win over the Sri Lankan cricket team on Saturday, July 27.
Axar Patel’s game-changing performance helped India take a 1-0 lead in the T20I series against Sri Lanka
However, Patel had a tough start, conceding 29 runs in his first three overs, but made a decisive impact in the fourth over. He got rid of Sri Lanka’s key batsman Pathum Nissanka, who was batting on 79, and Kusal Perera, who was on 20 with his exceptional bowling efforts at Pallekele.
This crucial breakthrough contributed to a dramatic collapse in Sri Lanka’s innings, from a strong position of 140/1 to being all out for 170 and eventually losing the game to Team India by 43 runs with the tourists taking a 1-0 lead in the ongoing three-match T20I series.
Well, after the match, Patel spoke about his growth as a cricketer, saying that he has honed his skills through high-pressure situations over the past year and that it has now contributed significantly to his success.
The star pitcher said having the experience of playing in various game scenarios strengthened his ability to maintain composure and focus regardless of the outcome.
The 2024 T20 World Cup winner said playing in high-pressure matches has improved his confidence and performance on the field. Patel’s journey has been marked by a series of lessons learned from both successes and setbacks.
When I do well in high-pressure situations, my confidence grows: Axar Patel
His consistent involvement in high-pressure matches has provided him with valuable insights, allowing him to hone his approach and maintain composure under pressure. This combination of experience and confidence has been a driving force behind Axar’s success.
Axar Patel said in an interview with Cricbuzz, “When you play cricket for India continuously and do well in pressure situations, you gain confidence. And every time you gain confidence, you always learn from it. It’s not that you will always do well in pressure situations and you can fail as well. But those situations teach you that I could have done things differently and that has taught me a lot, especially in the last one year.”
Patel further noted, “So when I do well in those situations, my confidence goes up and when those situations come up again, I don’t get desperate and think ‘oh, I have to do this, I have to do that’. I focus a lot more on my strengths and I think that’s helping me a lot. When you keep doing well, your confidence keeps growing. A month ago, I did well in the World Cup and I’m still maintaining that confidence and it’s paying off.”
