In a thrilling finale at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados, India triumphed over South Africa by 7 runs to clinch the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, marking their first ICC trophy in 11 years. The match saw Virat Kohli’s stellar performance with the bat and Jasprit Bumrah’s exceptional bowling in the death overs as decisive factors in India’s victory.
Opting to bat first, India set a challenging target of 176/7, propelled by Virat Kohli’s resurgence with a powerful knock of 76 runs off 59 balls. His innings, supported by Shivam Dube’s crucial 27 runs, formed the backbone of India’s innings, setting the highest-ever total in a T20 World Cup final.
South Africa began their chase aggressively but faltered early as Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh struck, dismissing Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram respectively. Despite Heinrich Klaasen’s blazing 22-ball fifty and a late charge towards victory, South Africa fell short, managing 169/8 in their allotted overs.
The climax of the match unfolded in the final over bowled by Hardik Pandya, who defended 16 runs with nerve-wracking efficiency. Pandya claimed the crucial wickets of David Miller and Kagiso Rabada, while Suryakumar Yadav’s spectacular catch at long-off to dismiss Miller sealed India’s triumph.
Earlier in India’s innings, Keshav Maharaj struck twice to remove Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant early on, while Kagiso Rabada accounted for Suryakumar Yadav, leaving India struggling at 3 wickets down within the powerplay. However, Axar Patel’s resilient 47-run innings kept the momentum alive before falling victim to a brilliant throw from Quinton de Kock.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed jubilation over the victory, stating, “We are proud; the team brings the T20 World Cup home in style.”
India’s second T20 World Cup title underscores their dominance in international cricket and marks a significant achievement in their cricketing history. The win resonates with fans worldwide as India celebrates their triumphant return to ICC glory after a decade-long wait.
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