India captain Rohit Sharma said he went blank briefly when the equation came down to South Africa needing 30 runs off 30 balls in the T20 World Cup final at the Kensington Oval in Barbados. The match was in the balance until about five minutes ago, when Heinrich Klaasen's ball-striking of the highest order in the 15th over of the final changed everything.

The powerhouse South African batter hit left-arm spinner Axar Patel for two sixes and two fours to collect 24 runs in one over. Even the earnest Indian fans believed it was South Africa's game to lose from there.

"Yes, I was completely blank," Rohit said at an event in Dallas, recalling that crucial period of play.

India needed something special and it came from their seamers. Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Arshdeep Singh combined to give away just 22 runs in the final five overs to snatch the World Cup trophy from the jaws of South Africa.

After the Klaasen carnage in the 15th over, Bumrah gave away only four runs in the 16th to bring India back into the game. However, Hardik Pandya gave India a major shot in the arm when he dismissed Klaasen in the first ball of the 17th over. From then on, it was all India. South Africa managed just one boundary after that, and that too off an outside edge in the last over.

Pandya, Arshdeep and Bumrah showed nerves of steel to apply the brakes on the South African lower middle order to put an end to India's more than decade long wait for an ICC title.

Rohit said they were under immense pressure in the last five overs of the final but they decided to stick to their plans instead of getting overawed by the situation.

"I don't look too far ahead. It's very important for me to stay in the moment and focus on the job at hand. It was very important for all of us to stay calm and try to execute our plans. When we were under immense pressure when South Africa needed 30 runs off 30 balls, the five overs that we bowled showed how calm we were. We just focussed on our job, not thinking much about anything else. We didn't panic that was very good from our side," he said.

Rohit to play ODIs and Tests for a while

Rohit, along with Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, announced their T20I retirements after the World Cup. But the Indian captain said he will continue playing ODIs and Tests for a while.

"I just said it. I don't look that far ahead. So clearly, you will be seeing me play at least for a while," the 37-year-old said at an event here on Sunday night.

His statement was reiteration of a position he made clear after announcing his T20 retirement after the final in the West Indies in which India defeated South Africa by seven runs. Earlier this month, BCCI secretary Jay Shah had confirmed that Rohit will captain India in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle and the Champions Trophy next year in February-March.

Rohit had led India in the 2022 T20 World Cup where the team was ousted in the semifinals by eventual champions England.

A year later, India reached the final of the 50-over World Cup at home under his leadership, but succumbed to Australia in the summit clash at Ahmedabad.

Rohit left T20Is with 4231 runs from 159 matches, having made five hundreds and 32 fifties.

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