‘Finally, when my name came for T20 World Cup…’: Khaleel Ahmed on making a comeback after 5 years
Delhi Capitals’ Khaleel Ahmed
Delhi Capitals bowler Khaleel Ahmed was elated at his selection in India’s T20 World Cup squad after a remarkable performance at the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. The left-arm pacer, who could not break into the 15-man squad but was named as one of the travelling reserves on the back of the 14 wickets he has picked so far in the season in 12 matches, talked about the phase he had to spend away from the national side after being dropped in 2019.
While speaking on DC Podcast, the pacer revealed that he was positive about his performances and his confidence grew as the league progressed.
“The way the past few months were going and the way the IPL started, I had the intuition that something good would happen. As the IPL matches progressed, my confidence continued to grow. I realised I was bowling well, and it has always been about moving one step ahead. Finally, when the name came, I was so happy, and it’s a step ahead for me,” Khaleel said.
‘2019 was a long time ago’: Khaleel Ahmed
Khaleel, who made his debut ODI and T20I debut in 2018, has represented India in 11 ODIs and 14 T20Is, picking up 15 and 13 wickets, respectively. He last played for India in 2019.
“2019 was a long time ago. Every day, at the back of my mind, I missed that feeling of playing for the country. Every time I used to watch India play, I used to imagine what I would have done if I was there in the team. So, every day was like a battle and these kinds of conversations were going on inside my head,” he added.
Khaleel also revealed that he didn’t wait too long before playing the domestic matches as the last IPL season got over. He also said that he had made up his mind to play all the matches regardless of the outcome.
“After the last IPL, I took only a week’s break and embarked on this journey. I made sure I played all the domestic matches. It’s tough as a fast bowler, but I made up my mind that irrespective of what happens to me, I’m going to play all the matches. I pushed myself mentally in the past year and have grown up with it. Mentally, you just have to fight for it, day, night or any time, because my life has always been about cricket. My thoughts have only been about cricket, nothing else bothers me,” the DC speedster said.
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