Team India secured a place in the final after defeating England by seven runs in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup. The match highlighted the importance of teamwork, but behind the scenes, a pre-match pep talk from Rohit Sharma also played a key role.

Wankhede Stadium is Rohit Sharma’s home ground. He has played numerous matches there, from Ranji Trophy games to IPL fixtures. Because of this experience, Rohit understands the conditions at the venue better than most players. Ahead of the semi-final against England, he shared his insights with the players, which eventually proved useful during the match.

ALSO READ | Rashid Khan sacked as Afghanistan T20I captain after World Cup exit

Before the game, the ICC shared a video featuring Rohit Sharma, who is serving as the brand ambassador for this T20 World Cup. In the video, Rohit was seen meeting players from both teams on the field. He first interacted with India captain Suryakumar Yadav and encouraged him by saying, “Everything will be fine, the engine is completely smooth. The way you chased runs in the last match (West Indies). Everything will be fine in this match too.”

Although Rohit is no longer part of the dressing room setup, his interest in team discussions remains strong. When he met Ishan Kishan, he immediately asked about the atmosphere inside the dressing room. Kishan responded by saying everything was “chillax” (chill + relax). Rohit also shared a light moment with Mohammed Siraj during the interaction.

ALSO READ | The Seven factor: Why has MS Dhoni's name come up on social media?

Meeting with Morne Morkel and Brendon McCullum

Rohit later met India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel and shared an important observation about the conditions. He said, “I'm 100 percent saying the ball will swing in the second innings. Because the wind that's blowing now won't stop.”

India’s bowlers made full use of that prediction. Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Jasprit Bumrah all utilised the swing effectively during England’s chase.

During the interaction, England head coach Brendon McCullum also jokingly asked Rohit about his noticeable weight loss, saying, “Where's the rest of you?” Rohit replied with humour, “I've shed it all.” Former England captain Ian Bell also praised Rohit after seeing his transformation.