India all-rounder Hardik Pandya said the team will work “twice as hard” to repay the faith and support shown by the fans for the side in the ongoing T20 World Cup. India rounded off the Super 12s stage of the showpiece event with a resounding nine-wicket victory over Namibia in Group 2 on Monday. Both sides had already failed to make the semi-finals before the action got underway in Dubai, but India finished on a high as half-centuries from Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul helped them chase 133 with ease.

Hardik Pandya thanked everyone who cheered for Team India and promised to be back with double preparation in the next year’s T20 World Cup.

“This wasn’t how we wanted our World Cup campaign to go. We fell short but we will work twice as hard to repay the faith and support shown to us by our fans. Thank you to everyone who cheered us on at the stadiums and everyone back home,” Pandya tweeted.

This wasn’t how we wanted our World Cup campaign to go. We fell short but we will work twice as hard to repay the faith and support shown to us by our fans. Thank you to everyone who cheered us on at the stadiums and everyone back home pic.twitter.com/n8ZnHhEm6H

— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) November 9, 2021

Coming to the game, spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin set the foundation, taking three wickets apiece to help prevent Namibia from setting an imposing total on a good wicket.

India were left to rue what could have been in the UAE after recording their third win, as two defeats in their opening two games against semi-finalists Pakistan and New Zealand ultimately cost them a place in the last four.