Ishan Kishan And Abhishek Sharma Praise Team Culture And Support After World Cup Win

Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma credited the strong culture of the India for helping them overcome struggles and shine in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final.

India’s triumphant campaign in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 was not just about dominant performances on the field but also about the strong sense of unity inside the dressing room. After lifting their maiden World Cup titles, Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma credited the team environment for helping them navigate difficult phases and ultimately deliver in the final against New Zealand national cricket team in Ahmedabad.

Both players reflected on their personal struggles during the tournament and how the belief from teammates and staff helped them overcome doubts and contribute significantly in the title clash.

Team Support Helped Abhishek Overcome Self-Doubt

For Abhishek Sharma, the tournament began on a difficult note. A string of poor performances, including three ducks, left the young batter questioning his form. However, he said the unwavering support from the Indian dressing room helped him regain confidence.

“When I was not making runs, everyone in the team was wanting me to get among the runs again,” Abhishek said after scoring the tournament’s fastest fifty, in 18 balls, in the final against New Zealand. “In that sense, the company around you matters a lot. When I wasn’t able to contribute, everyone was saying ‘you’ll do it.’ I was struggling with self-doubt, but it was the players, coaches and support staff that had belief in me.”

His explosive half-century in the final became one of the defining moments of the match and highlighted the faith the team management had placed in him despite his early struggles.

Kishan Reflects on Hard Work and Team Values

Ishan Kishan also shared insights into his journey back into the Indian setup after being sidelined previously. The wicketkeeper-batter explained that returning to domestic cricket helped him focus on personal growth while also reinforcing the importance of teamwork.

“No matter how bad your time is, you have to firstly trust yourself,” Kishan added, jokingly telling Abhishek that his own struggles have been for far longer. “If you’re doubting yourself, then you can’t express yourself on the field. But I also feel that when you’re working hard and helping others during their bad times, then it all comes back to you as well at a later time.

“When I had to go back to the domestic set-up, I did focus on myself but I decided that we need to move forward as a team since success is not for an individual in a team sport. Embracing the team environment in domestic cricket and later again with the national team taught me that you can pick up the good, small habits from your team-mates. And like Abhishek said, the company around you is very important. You don’t need negative people because then their negative thoughts hover around your own mind.”

Kishan’s Emotional Tribute and Captain’s Faith

Kishan revealed that his match-winning fifty in the final carried deep personal significance. The batter disclosed that he was dealing with a family tragedy just a day before the match.

“It means a lot to me,” Kishan said about his fifty from No. 3. “More than myself, my family members are much more relaxed now. As sportsmen, we can take care of ourselves in our difficult phases but it’s out family members who remain worried.

“I was not planning to say this, but I lost my cousin sister yesterday in a car accident. I got to know during the practice session. She always wanted me to score big runs. But today was a big day, rather than keeping my emotions, I just thought, ‘the best thing I can do is I can score runs for her’, and that’s why I looked up after scoring my fifty. It was for my sister, her family and my very close friends.

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“I was not feeling well mentally before the final, but I spoke to Hardik bhai. He said it won’t be easy, but he reminded me it’s a team sport so we need to lift each other up for the team’s cause. I had that anger inside me in the final to perform.”

Kishan also spoke about the trust placed in him by captain Suryakumar Yadav, who personally informed him about his selection in the World Cup squad.

“When Suryakumar called me few months back to tell me about my selection in the World Cup squad, he asked me, ‘can you win the World Cup for me?’, Kishan said. “I just asked him back, ‘will you trust me?’ and he said ‘yes, I will trust you.’

“What I saw in this team when I came was that, yes, there was pressure, but there was no fear as a result of that pressure. There was confidence instead. That’s why coming to Ahmedabad again [after losing the 2023 ODI World Cup final], the team did not feel burdened by history. Everyone was working hard on an individual level and the team morale was very good, something I credit the head coach and captain for achieving. The biggest example, again, was how they dealt with Abhishek. They never doubted him and never let his lean form off the field affect how he was viewed inside the team environment.

That was the atmosphere through this World Cup in the camp. There was a lot of happiness.”