Khaleel Ahmed, the young Indian pacer convinced the stand-in captain Rohit Sharma to hand him the new ball in the second Twenty20 International (T20I) against the West Indies.
Khaleel made the Windies on the back foot by taking two early wickets and according to Rohit Sharma, it was Khaleel who insisted on bowling with the new ball along with Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
In a post-match press conference, Khaleel Ahmed said “I had more responsibility today as I was bowling with the new ball. I enjoy the responsibility a lot. When I was young, I always dreamt of playing for India and now I have achieved that. If I feel pressure now I can’t perform to my potential,” after India’s 71-run win.
“Playing in the IPL gives one a lot of experience when you come into the Indian team. You don’t have to make too many changes to your game because you already have shared the dressing room with international players,” he said.
“When you come into the Indian team, by then you had already learned professionalism and know how to correct your mistakes. The IPL is of big help.”
“My only aim is to do well for India and for that I need to enjoy my game. I am confident of my abilities. If you enjoy your game, hunger to do well and will also increase.”
He dismissed both the openers Shai Hope and Shimron Hetmyer to disrupt the West Indies chase.
During the Asia Cup, the young pacer had grabbed the headlines, but his time of charge came in the ODI series against the West Indies where he finished as the third-highest wicket-taker.