India leg-spinner Amit Mishra said his success in the World Twenty20 opener against Pakistan was a result of some sound advice by skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who asked him to maintain an attacking line.
"I am not afraid of flighting the ball because I always think about taking wickets and not restricting the batsmen. I believe you can never succeed trying to stop the flow of runs instead of trying to take wickets. If you try to take wickets, you can put pressure on the batsman," Mishra told reporters at post-match conference after India thrashed Pakistan by seven wickets here last night.
He said Dhoni's tips were of great help as the skipper has always encouraged him to stay true to his strengths.
"The captain (Dhoni) always tells me that I should try to spin the ball as that is my strength. He tells me that I have the ability to beat the batsman in flight. That's how I got Ahmed Shehzad and Shoaib Malik out today. In T20 cricket, more variations you have, the more advantageous position you are in," said Mishra who was adjudged man-of-the-match for his effort of 2/22.
The Haryana leggie felt staying positive during his prolonged period at the bench helped him perform in the high-pressure match.
"I was never down on confidence when I was not playing. The key is to remain positive and I tried to shut out negative things. In our team, the good thing is that everyone is told to remain ready as anyone could be called. When you get your chance, you need to grab it with both hands," he said.
