‘Chilled’ India not worried about Asia Cup defeats: Rohit Sharma

• Rohit Sharma plays downplayed concerns about India’s T20 World Cup form.
• India lost their second Asia Cup Super Four match to Sri Lanka on Tuesday with one ball remaining.
• Pakistan beat India with a ball to spare in the Super Four game on Sunday.

After two consecutive Asia Cup losses, Rohit Sharma downplayed concerns about India’s performance ahead of next month’s T20 World Cup, stating that the environment in the locker room remained “relaxed and chilled.”

India’s decreasing chances of making it to the finals are now dependent on other outcomes after they lost their second Asia Cup Super Four match to Sri Lanka on Tuesday in Dubai with one ball remaining.

“You don’t worry if you lose two matches,” Rohit, who smashed a 41-ball 72 in India’s 173-8, told reporters.

“We don’t talk like this in the dressing room, because we have played so many matches after the (last) World Cup and won. I don’t think it’s a cause of worry.”

If bitter rivals Pakistan defeat Afghanistan on Wednesday, they would eliminate India and proceed to play Sri Lanka in the final on Sunday. Pakistan similarly overcame India on Sunday with a ball to spare.

“There is no gadbad (Hindi for disarray),” said Rohit.

“From the outside it looks gadbad but we have no such feeling.

“I know how the media reacts when you lose a match and there are questions raised, that is normal.

“You can look inside the dressing room that the boys are relaxed and chilled.”

After veteran seamer Bhuvneshwar Kumar let up 14 runs in the 19th over, leaving seven runs needed off the final six deliveries, Sri Lanka successfully defended their victory mark of 174.

In India’s defeat to Pakistan, where they required 26 runs from the final two overs, Kumar had given up 19 runs in the 19th over, but Rohit stood by his bowler.

“Experienced batsmen get out and bowlers leak runs as well, these things are normal and happen,” said Rohit.

“Bhuvi has been playing for so long, and has worked for us for so many years in the ‘death overs’ and won us games. So we should not judge him on two or three games.”

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