Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan lavished praise on Shivam Dube after India won the T20 World Cup title. India defeated New Zealand by 96 runs in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, on Sunday, to win their third T20 World Cup crown.

Dube once again added the finishing touches in the final, scoring a quickfire cameo of 8-ball 26 to propel India’s score to 255. The left-hander thwarted three fours and two sixes as he scored at a whirlwind strike rate of 325. India was going all guns blazing but veered off the track a bit between overs 15 to 18; however, Dube got the job done in the last two overs.

Dube scored 235 runs in eight innings of the tournament at an average of 29.16 and a blistering strike rate of 169.06.

Irfan Pathan said on his YouTube Channel, “Shivam Dube, how many crucial innings he plays. He produces unbelievable batting performances. Even in the last over of the final, the momentum had shifted when Shivam Dube came in to bat. After the 15th and 16th overs, the momentum had broken because Jimmy Neesham had taken three wickets in one over.

“But when the same bowler came to bowl the 20th over, Shivam Dube hit him for boundaries. India needed a big over of more than 20 runs, and that came. That is how the team managed to cross the 250-run mark, largely because of Shivam Dube’s batting. It was outstanding work,” he added.

Pathan, the former swing bowler, noted that Dube has improved his hitting against fast bowlers, and the results are palpable.

“Of course, there is still discussion about his bowling, and it can become even better, and it probably will. But he is a big unit. He uses his height and reach very well. He has also improved his hitting against fast bowling, which shows his constant effort to improve his batting. And today, when he also played shots on the off side, hitting over mid-off and between the covers, it made him even more dangerous. Bowling to him then becomes even more difficult. So very well done, Shivam Dube. He has now become a world champion.”

Dube has scored 991 runs in 64 T20I matches.