India secured a thrilling victory over South Africa by 7 runs in the final match of the T20 World Cup 2024 at Kensington Oval, Barbados, marking their first ICC title in 11 years under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma. This win comes as a significant milestone for Indian cricket, ending a long-awaited drought in ICC tournaments.
Defending a total of 176/7, India faced a tense moment as South Africa needed just 30 runs from the final few overs with set batsmen Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller at the crease. The turning point came when Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya delivered crucial overs, restricting South Africa’s scoring and taking key wickets.
Bumrah’s four-run over followed by Pandya’s breakthrough against Klaasen tilted the match in India’s favour. Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya continued the pressure with their disciplined bowling, setting up a thrilling finale. Pandya sealed the victory by dismissing Miller on the first ball of the final over, aided by Suryakumar Yadav’s outstanding catch.
Earlier in the innings, Virat Kohli played a pivotal role, anchoring India with a resilient 76 off 59 balls after a shaky start. Kohli’s partnership with Axar Patel (47 off 31) revived India from a precarious position of 34/3, setting the stage for a competitive total.
Reflecting on the victory, Rohit Sharma praised his team’s resilience and determination over the past few years. “I am very proud of this bunch of boys to give us the liberty to play the way we want and execute,” said Sharma, crediting the team’s unity and management for their success.
Virat Kohli, who announced his retirement from T20 Internationals after the match, was awarded the Player of the Match for his crucial innings. “We were in trouble but we’re really over the moon to win from that stage. My family is here, we came close last time and we got the job done,” Kohli expressed emotionally.
Jasprit Bumrah, pivotal in India’s bowling attack, reflected on his crucial role in the match, saying, “Emotions can take over, it was taking over but you have to keep it in check. Now that the game is over, it can come out and you can scream and shout.”
