New Delhi: Following a string of low scores, Abhishek Kumar had turned from the man to watch out for to be India’s burden at the T20 World Cup.

A hat-trick of ducks at the start of the tournament made the top-ranked T20I batter doubt himself but it was the unstinted support from his team’s think-tank that helped him rebound with a half century in the final.

The left hander’s 21-ball 52 with the help of six boundaries and three sixes enabled India post a record 255 for five in the final before dismissing New Zealand for 159 in 19 overs.

India became the first team to successfully defend the T20 World Cup crown also becoming the most successful in the tournament with three titles.

“The one thing was very clear, I wanted to share before as well, but today is the best day. The captain and coach had faith in me. Even I was doubting myself. I had never experienced this before, it was a tough tournament,” Abhishek said after the match.

The opener approached the tournament with a reputation of a dashing opener, whose uninhibited strokeplay paved way for India’s victories in bilateral series’.

But in the global tournament he couldn”t get his act together and was also troubled by a stomach infection that kept him out of a group stage game.

“Everyone was so, so much into me that you’re going to win one game, one big game, one big game. So I was just doing my process, but it wasn’t that easy as a young player or probably you’ve just been one or two years in the Indian team and then going through this phase,” he said.

“But I love this team because the way they backed me. It wasn’t easy for me because going through the whole year I was doing well for the team, but in the big tournament I wasn’t able to.

“But the faith the team and management showed in me. I got emotional in the middle of the tournament and wanted to talk to the coach and captain and they said you’ll win us the big games. The crowd has supported us a lot even through tough times,” Sharma added.