On this day, India beat South Africa to win T20 World Cup 2024: Rohit Sharma went down on the ground and started beating the turf. So did Virat Kohli, who had the look of a man relieved of a thousand kilos. Hardik Pandya sank low on his knees and got emotional in a matter of seconds. And so did the entire India and the fans of the Indian cricket team as the Men In Blue ended their drought of an ICC trophy that had stretched for 11 years.
Last year on this day, India became the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 champions by beating South Africa in the final in Barbados.
Both India and South Africa had had perfect campaigns leading into the final at the Kensington Oval as both had been unbeaten hitherto, sailing through the group round and the Super Eights.
The final itself was one of the most thrilling T20 finals of all time as it went down to the wire, the result effectively being delivered on the first ball of the 20th over of the chase, with Suryakumar Yadav plucking a sensational boundary catch of David Miller, South Africa’s last recognized batsman.
On This Day In 2024: India beat South Africa to win T20 World Cup 2024
Rohit won the toss and elected to bat first, and India’s innings stuttered throughout. They were 34/3 with Rohit, Pant, and Suryakumar Yadav dismissed cheaply.
Then came a match-saving partnership of Virat Kohli and Axar Patel. While Kohli anchored, Patel hammered 47 off 31. The same tempo continued when Dube replaced Patel in the middle, as he cracked 27 off 16. After Kohli reached a 48-ball fifty, the veteran batsman upped his ante and thumped both Rabada and Jansen for a pair of a four and a six.
India eventually ended with 176/7, Kohli top-scoring with 76 off 59.
The chase from South Africa was a roller coaster ride. Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh made two early dents, but Quinton de Kock held his end to score 39, while Tristan Stubbs hit 31 off 21 before both lost their wickets.
The 15th over tilted the game in South Africa’s favour as Heinrich Klaasen blasted Axar for two sixes and two fours, leaving the pacers to defend 30 runs off 30 balls.
Impossible task in modern T20 cricket. But Hardik, Bumrah, and Arshdeep bowled magnificently to shut down all boundary options. The three pacers gave away only 22 runs in the last five overs and sealed the trophy for India.
Kohli bagged the Man of the Match award and announced his T20I retirement, with Rohit following him into retirement from the shortest format. Bumrah collected the Man of the Tournament award for his 15 wickets at an average of only 8.26.
“We wanted this [ICC trophy] really bad,” Rohit said later.
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