I was confident that I would make the team win in the last over | If a bad ball was found, Punjab would have been champions: Shashank, who stood at the crease till the last over, said – I learned to be positive in this season – Madhya Pradesh News

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Punjab Kings may have lost the final by 6 runs, but Shashank won the hearts of the fans. On one hand, Virat of Bangalore had a tear picture of his eyes, then Shashank also cried on the field. Dainik Bhaskar talked to Shashank and learned what was going on in his mind at that time in the pressure of the final match? Captain Shreyas Iyer called him and what is his next target after IPL?… Read the conversation with Shashank….

Question: What was going on in the mind during the last over? answer:When the last over was going on, I was confident that I would do it. Every ball required sixes. When the first ball was missed, I felt very bad, I did not give a single on the second ball. At that time, Kylle was batting in front of me. My strategy was to stay at the striker end. It was almost impossible, but there is a hope that a no -ball or a bad ball is found.

It is very important to trust. When you play a final -like match, the front team also lives in pressure. I was sure that something bad would come. I was giving my hundred percent. When I wanted 12 runs on the last ball, I could not think.

Shashank started cricket coaching from Bhopal. They play for MP now from Chhattisgarh.

Question: What did captain Shreyas say during the time out? answer:During the entire tournament, we were talking about hope and trust. In the time out, Shreyas told us that you will be able to believe that you will be able to do it. Batting with good intensity and keeping a good intent. Shreyas was confident that both of us would be able to do it. We also believed and even the entire team believed that we would do it. But if someone always loses, someone learns, then we should learn that day.

Question: You predicted Punjab’s top-2 before? answer: When we became a team of people, I met everyone. Coach Ricky Ponting, Brad Hadin, James Hopes and our domestic coach Sunil Joshi, Trever Gonzalvis. All were positive about the tournament. I already know captain Shreyas. This time, he got a lot of positive changes in them.

Trust increases when you live in such a positive environment. All of us hoped that we would come in the top-2. It was also believed that we would win, but I went there wrong. There was solidarity in our team from the beginning to the end, it is necessary in the game.

Question: What was the team’s reaction after losing the final? answer: Shreyas was positive even after the final defeat in the final. He said that this is the champion team, we have not won now but the next year’s IPL is only a few months away. We are going to come back and we are going to take a cup. Next time final match will be held in Bangalore and there is no doubt that we will win.

It felt bad for some time, after that now we have started preparing for 2026 IPL from now. Our 25 players are match winners. We do not even fear that if someone is engaged then who will play all the match winners. The management had a big hand behind us, Priyansh, Prabhasimran and I all have the season all the season.

Question: How is the future of cricket in MP? answer: The MP is a very stabilized player in MP, there was a Madhav Tiwari playing from Delhi, one was Aniket, Kolkata’s team also came to a mystery bowler. There was no shortage of talent in MP, even when I played. Everyone has skills, it is necessary to click on the right time.

The MP’s team played the final of Mushtaq Ali Cup this time. The Ranji Trophy won two years ago. All these things are very important and it comes from the grass route level itself. Cricket is developing in small cities. MP Cricket Association should give a credit for this.

Question: What are you going to do after IPL now? answer: It is the dream of every player to play for the country. Before that there are many tournaments like Ranji, Vijay Hazare Trophy. The most important is to relax. I will spend time with family for the next few days. This season was quite long. There were many ups and downs. Mental stress was also very high. Once my Chhattisgarh tournament will end, then my plan is to spend time with my mother and father for a month.

Question: How was the family support in this journey of cricket? answer: I am very lucky in this case that my family has been very supportive, even today, there are ups and downs, when bad times come, they increase my courage. Cricket is a big game in our country, not everyone gets so much support from the family. But I know that till the day I play the last match, I will get support from family and friends.

Question: What did you get to learn from this IPL? Being positive, this is the biggest learning of this IPL. I have learned not only for cricket but also for life. I have known Shreyas for 15 years, but this year we were together for three months, so I could know each other very well. I then realized why he was so successful? There is no doubt that skills wise, talent wise is very high, but it is always very positive.

We have never seen in three months that he had talked to anyone negative, he has impressed all of us. I would like to tell everyone to be positive in your life. Cricket is a part of life, life is at the top.