'Skipper is Really Happy With my Performance': Shivam Dube After Back-to-back Half-centuries vs Afghanistan

Shivam Dube played another impressive knock for India to help them clinch the T20I series against Afghanistan. The southpaw is living up to the expectations of hitting big sixes as he smashed four of them during his 63-run* knock in the second T20I on Sunday. Dube registered back-to-back fifties to make a massive impact in the Indian team in the absence of Hardik Pandya who is currently recovering from his ankle injury.

The southpaw remained unbeaten in both matches and made sure India won the match with enough balls to spare to show their supremacy over Afghanistan.

Dube revealed that skipper Rohit is happy with the way he has performed in the first two T20Is.

“The skipper is really happy with my performance, he told me well played,” Dube told broadcasters after the match.

Meanwhile, Dube and Jaiswal shared a 92-run stand for the third wicket to blow against Afghanistan.  Yashasvi got out after hammering 68 off 34 balls, including six sixes, Dube ended unbeaten on a 32-ball 63, hitting four maximums in the process.

Talking about his partnership with Jaiswal, Dube said that his role was to attack the spinners.

“We both are stroke players, we know our game. My role was to take on the spinners, but our plan was to both attack and finish the game early. There wasn’t any target in mind, but we should have finished the game earlier,” he added.

Dube further talked about the changes he made to his game both skill-wise and mentally.

“There are many things that I have worked on, apart from skill it is about how mentally you prepare for the T20 game. How to handle pressure, and deciding which bowlers to take on. It isn’t important to hit every ball,” he added.

The Mumbaikar also claimed a wicket in the second T20I but turned out to be a bit expensive by leaking 36 runs in three overs.

He said that he has put up some work in his bowling too but sometimes things didn’t go your way.

“I have been working on my bowling as well, happy that it worked out in the first game but not as much today. But that is how T20 cricket is,” he concluded.