In a thrilling finale at Kensington Oval, India overcame South Africa by seven runs to capture the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 title, marking the end of their lengthy title drought.
Led by Rohit Sharma, the Indian team successfully defended a total of 176/7, bringing joy to their fans after recent disappointments in major tournaments.
The Indian bowlers, especially the pacers, staged a remarkable comeback to restrict South Africa to 169/8. This victory was particularly sweet for the Indian side, who had previously faced heartbreaks in the World Test Championship final and the 50-over World Cup at home last year.
For South Africa, this was their first appearance in a major final since the 1998 Champions Trophy. The team has a history of near-misses, including seven semi-final exits in World Cups since rejoining international cricket in 1991 post-apartheid.
Chasing 177, South Africa’s innings struggled from the outset. Early dismissals of Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram left them reeling at 12/2 within the first three overs. However, Quinton de Kock and Tristian Stubbs provided a semblance of stability with a quick 58-run partnership before Axar Patel dismissed Stubbs for 31.
De Kock, who contributed a steady 39, partnered with Heinrich Klaasen to add another 36 runs. Klaasen then ignited the chase with aggressive hitting, notably smashing 24 runs in an over off Axar Patel, reducing the required rate significantly.
With 30 runs needed from the final five overs, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma turned to his ace pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who bowled a tight over that shifted the pressure back onto the South Africans. This resulted in Klaasen’s dismissal for a fiery 52 off 27 balls, halting South Africa’s momentum.
The final over saw South Africa needing 16 runs with David Miller at the crease, but he was dismissed on the first ball, simplifying India’s path to victory. Hardik Pandya was pivotal with the ball, claiming three wickets, while Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh took two each, supported by Patel’s crucial wicket.
Earlier, batting first, India posted a competitive total, thanks to crucial contributions from Virat Kohli and Axar Patel. The innings started brightly, with India scoring 15 runs in the opening over. However, South African spinner Keshav Maharaj quickly struck back, removing Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant in the second over.
Kohli then formed vital partnerships, first with Suryakumar Yadav and then with Axar Patel, to stabilize the innings. Patel’s aggressive 47 off 31 balls included a flurry of boundaries before being run out by de Kock. Kohli continued to anchor the innings, top-scoring with a measured 76 off 59 balls, featuring six fours and two sixes.
Shivam Dube added a quick 27 off 16 balls, but was dismissed in the final over as India reached 176/7. South Africa’s bowlers, led by Maharaj and Anrich Nortje with two wickets each, kept India from posting an even larger total.
