"Any player playing in the team aims to play in the World Cup" - Shivam Dube

Team India all-rounder Shivam Dube has added that he is keen to be part of the 2024 T20 World Cup squad. He, however, shared that he is not thinking too far ahead and only wants to focus on the second T20I against Afghanistan. Notably, Dube was the Player of the Match in India’s six-wicket win in the first T20I match of the three-match series in Mohali. He picked up 1/9 in two overs and then scored 60* off 40 in a chase of 159 as well.

Following the performance, he was asked about his World Cup hopes, Dube said at a press conference, as quoted by PTI: “Any player playing in the team aims to play in the World Cup. It’s definitely in my mind to play the World Cup, but it’s far away. Right now, I am aiming to play tomorrow’s game and take it on a match-by-match basis.”

As the ongoing home series against Afghanistan is Team India’s last T20I assignment before the World Cup 2024, Shivam Dube said that the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be extremely important for everyone in preparations for the ICC event as well.

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“It (IPL) would be equally important for all of us, as there are only two T20Is remaining. IPL is a big platform, and if you fare well in it, you get the chance to make it to the (national) team,” Dube said to the reporters ahead of the second T20I against Afghanistan here,” the all-rounder said.”There is a team planning and combination in place. The more we play T20s, the more we get to understand it better.”

However, the T20 World Cup will be played in the West Indies and the United States from June 1 to June 29. While talking about the game, he said that he has worked hard on both the mental and physical aspects of his game as well.

“It’s difficult when things don’t go your way, and you don’t think about things you cannot do at that time. So, I thought about what I have done in the past would be better. I have practiced and processed to be better both physically and mentally, besides working on my skills,” Shivam Dube concluded.