India Emerges as Champion in T20 World Cup 2024, Defeating South Africa by 7 Runs .

INDIA VS SOUTH AFRICA , FINAL, T20 WORLD CUP 2024

India narrowly defeated South Africa by a margin of seven runs in the climactic match of the 2024 T20 World Cup at Kensington Oval, Barbados, on Saturday, securing their first ICC title in 11 years. Following the match, Virat Kohli declared his retirement from T20 internationals. The victory seemed unlikely as South Africa, with Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller well-set at the crease, needed only 30 runs from the final 30 balls. However, the Indian team, led by Rohit Sharma, orchestrated a remarkable turnaround. Jasprit Bumrah delivered a pivotal four-run over, followed by Hardik Pandya, who dismissed Klaasen in another tight over. Bumrah continued his economical spell by giving away just two runs in the 18th over and taking the wicket of Marco Jansen. Arshdeep Singh maintained the pressure with a four-run penultimate over. In the final over, Pandya secured the dismissal of Miller with the first ball, thanks to a spectacular catch by Surya Kumar Yadav at long-off, sealing the victory for India.

Earlier in the innings, Virat Kohli played a crucial role, scoring a resilient 76 off 59 balls, guiding India to a total of 176 for 7, the highest score in a men’s T20 World Cup final. Despite a shaky start where India was reduced to 34 for 3 in just 4.3 overs, a vital 72-run partnership between Kohli and Axar Patel helped stabilize the innings. Axar contributed a brisk 47 off 31 balls.

INDIA

Powerplay: South Africa’s Early Breakthroughs

Phase score – 45/3 [RR: 7.5, 4s/6s: 7/0]

Virat Kohli’s form, a subject of much discussion throughout the World Cup, was reassuring as he confidently dispatched half-volleys from Marco Jansen, hitting three boundaries on a challenging pitch that offered little movement. Rohit Sharma managed two boundaries off Maharaj, including a cut and a reverse sweep, before misjudging a sweep that led to his dismissal by Klaasen. Rishabh Pant was out shortly thereafter, mis-hitting a full toss from Maharaj while attempting another sweep. Suryakumar Yadav started cautiously, scoring a couple off Rabada, though his shot barely cleared mid-on. Kohli continued his composed performance, cutting a short ball from Maharaj for four, aiming to stabilize the innings after the early losses. However, Suryakumar’s innings ended when he mistimed a slower ball from Rabada to fine leg. Axar Patel, promoted up the order, began his innings with a boundary off Rabada. Aiden Markram’s over concluded the powerplay, yielding just six singles.

During the middle overs, the partnership between Axar Patel and Virat Kohli provided stability for India.

Phase score:73/1 [RR: 8.11, 4s/6s: 0/5]

Anrich Nortje entered the bowling attack post-powerplay, beginning with an economical four-run over. Axar Patel aggressively targeted the spinners, executing the slog sweep for six runs each against Aiden Markram and Keshav Maharaj. Both players comfortably accumulated runs through singles and doubles, compiling a fifty-run partnership in 42 balls. While Kohli anchored the innings, Axar continued his assault on the spinners, achieving his third six over the long-on boundary off Tabraiz Shamsi’s second over. Although Nortje bowled tightly, Kagiso Rabada faced aggression from Axar, who hit a straight six from a full delivery, propelling India past the 100-run mark in the 14th over. Their partnership, however, concluded at 72 runs from 54 balls when Quinton de Kock ran out Axar at the non-striker’s end. Shivam Dube immediately made an impact, lofting a slower delivery from Marco Jansen over mid-on for a six.

In the death overs, Kohli and Dube elevated India to a competitive score.

Phase score: 58/3 [RR: 11.6, 4s/6s: 5/2]

Tabraiz Shamsi managed the 16th over, conceding eight runs despite a boundary hit by Dube. Kohli reached his first fifty of this World Cup off 48 balls with a single against Nortje, followed by Dube slicing a cut past backward point for a four off the same bowler. Kohli then dispatched Rabada for a six over long on and followed up with a four off a short delivery, bringing 16 runs from the 18th over and pushing India to 150. In the 19th over, Kohli struck a four and a six off Jansen before being caught in the deep. Hardik Pandya then edged a short ball for a four, with the over yielding 17 runs. Dube managed another boundary off Nortje, as India set the highest score ever in a T20 World Cup final. Despite Nortje’s final over efforts, which included two wickets and nine runs, India finished strong with 101 runs in the latter half of their innings.

SOUTH AFRICA

Powerplay: India’s Pacers Make Early Impact

Phase score – 42/2 [RR: 7.0, 4s/6s: 6/0]

Early in the game, Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah found some swing, with Singh inducing an edge from Reeza Hendricks that unfortunately didn’t reach the wicketkeeper. Singh conceded a boundary in the first over but limited the damage to six runs. Quinton de Kock misjudged a delivery from Bumrah, playing inside the line, and Bumrah later dismissed Hendricks with a delivery that moved away late. Aiden Markram managed to drive a Bumrah ball past point for a boundary but was caught out the following over by Singh. The South African batsmen targeted Axar Patel in the fifth over, with de Kock and Tristan Stubbs each hitting a boundary. De Kock rounded off the powerplay with another four off Kuldeep Yadav, bringing South Africa close to India’s score in the initial phase.

Middle Overs: Heinrich Klaasen Dominates

Phase score – 105/2 [RR: 11.66, 4s/6s: 6/8]

Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav struggled initially, each conceding a boundary to Stubbs, followed by de Kock’s spectacular six over midwicket off Kuldeep, marking a fifty partnership in 33 balls. Stubbs then hit Axar for a six but was bowled by a full delivery as he moved across the crease. Hardik Pandya started with three dot balls to Klaasen, who then dispatched a short ball for a six. Ravindra Jadeja also faced challenges, conceding a straight six to Klaasen. Klaasen continued his assault with a six over cover and de Kock added a boundary, pushing South Africa past 100 in the 13th over. However, de Kock was caught at fine leg attempting a repeat shot, giving Singh his second wicket. David Miller struck a boundary and a six off Kuldeep, who ended with figures of 0 for 45. Klaasen’s aggressive batting, including two sixes and two fours off Axar, reduced the required runs significantly.

Death Overs: Bumrah Leads India’s Fightback

Phase score – 22/4 [RR: 5.5, 4s/6s: 1/0]

Klaasen reached his fifty in 23 balls with a single off Bumrah, who returned to the attack and conceded just four runs. With South Africa needing 26 off 24 balls, Pandya provided a crucial breakthrough by dismissing Klaasen. Pandya’s tight over left South Africa needing 22 from the final three overs. Bumrah’s 18th over was pivotal, yielding only two runs and claiming the wicket of Marco Jansen. Keshav Maharaj and Miller could only manage a few runs in the 19th over, setting up a tense finish with 16 needed off the last over. Pandya’s effective final over included a crucial catch by Suryakumar Yadav and a dismissal of Kagiso Rabada, leaving South Africa short as India clinched the T20 World Cup title by a narrow margin.

Brief scores:

India 176/7 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 76, Axar Patel 47; Keshav Maharaj 2-23, Anrich Nortje 2-26) beat South Africa 169/8 in 20 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 52, Quinton de Kock 39, Hardik Pandya 3-20, Jasprit Bumrah 2-18) by 7 runs.