Win Projections to be updated soon
India’s Men in Blue defeated South Africa’s Proteas by 7 runs in an exciting final to win the T20 World Cup 2024 title. After winning the toss and electing to bat first, India amassed a score of 176 runs despite labouring for several overs following the captain’s removal.
In the championship match, captain Rohit Sharma, who had a fantastic tournament, was removed for nine runs. Virat lumbered back after striking an amazing 76 off 59 balls, while Axar was out after making a respectable 47 off 31 balls. Thanks to a helpful knock of 27 off 16 from Sivam Dube, who struggled throughout the game, India managed to achieve a decent target of 176 for 7. For South Africa, Anrich Nortje and Keshav Maharaj each claimed two wickets.
During the chase, South Africa was under pressure as Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram were both out for four runs. Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs combined 68 runs for the third wicket to bring the Proteas back into the game. After Stubbs finished the match with a 31-run rout, Heinrich Klaasen caused Indian bowlers a lot of nightmares by easily dispatching players like Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav.
In the 17th over, Hardik Pandya caused De Kock to nick one to the keeper after he was out for 39 off 21. Despite this, Klaasen continued to assault. He hit an amazing 52 off 27 at that time. Both Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah claimed economical death-selected wickets. But when David Miller was on strike with 16 runs to defend, it ultimately came down to Pandya bowling the final over. He removed Rabada with a pick on the first ball, giving India a seven-run lead. Virat Kohli declared his retirement from Twenty20 international cricket after winning the finals and winning Match of the Match.
Also read: With a touching Instagram post, MS Dhoni congratulates the Indian cricket team on winning the T20 World Cup in 2024
Player of the Match, Virat Kohli said
This was my last T20 World Cup, this is exactly what we wanted to achieve. One day you feel like you can’t get a run and this happens, God is great. Just the occasion, now or never kind of situation. This was my last T20 game playing for India. We wanted to lift that cup. Wanted to Yes I have, this was an open secret. Not something that I wasn’t going to announce even if we had lost.
Time for the next generation to take the T20 game forward. It’s been a long wait for us, waiting to win an ICC tournament. You look at someone like Rohit, he’s played 9 T20 World Cups and this is my sixth. He deserves it. It’s been difficult to hold things (emotions) back and I think it’s going to sink in later. It’s an amazing day and I’m thankful.
Player of the Tournament, Jasprit Bumrah said
Usually I’m the one who tries to keep my emotions in check and get the job done but today I don’t have many words, I don’t usually cry after a game but the emotions are taking over. 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, there’s no better feeling than to get your team through in a game like this.It just felt good, tried to keep myself in a bubble and tried not to think too far ahead. When the big day comes, you have to do it, throughout the tournament I felt very clear. I always think about one ball and one over at a time, don’t think too far ahead. Emotions can take over, it was taking over but you have to keep it in check but now that the game is over, it can come out and you can scream and shout.When he was asked to bowl the 16th over) I saw the ball was a bit scuffed up and it would reverse a bit, thought which would be the most difficult shot for the batter and was able to execute it.
Winning Captain Rohit Sharma said
Very hard to sum up what we have been through for the last 3-4 years. We work very hard as a team, lot has gone on behind the scenes. It is not today, it is what we have been doing for the last 3-4 years. We have played lots of high pressure games and come on the wrong side too. But the guys understand what is to be done when the back is against the wall, we stuck together and the guys, all of us really wanted to win this really bad.
I am very proud of this bunch of boys to give us the liberty to play the way we want and execute. And credit needs to go to the management as well. Nobody was in doubt with Virat’s form. We know the quality he has, come the occasion the big players will stand up. Virat was holding that end up for us, we wanted someone to bat as long as possible.
This wasn’t a wicket where a new guy could come and play straight. That’s where the experience of Virat comes through. I’ve been someone who has seen him play for so many years, but even I don’t know how he does it. It is a masterclass. He backs his skills and he is a very confident lad. Hardik was brilliant as well, bowling that last over. Fantastic for the fans to support us through New York till Barbados. And all the guys in India, it is a late night but I’m sure they’ll all be waiting to watch this. They have been waiting a long time, just like us.
Losing captain Aiden Markram said
Gutted for the time being, it will take some time to have a good reflection on this. Hurts quite a bit, but full credit to the bowlers and everyone else in this team. We bowled well, there wasn’t a lot to work with and retrict them to a chaseable total. We batted well, came down to the wire in a great game of cricket but not quite there for us today. We’ve seen a lot of our games, it isn’t over till the last ball is bowled.
We never got comfortable and there was always scoreboard pressure. Having said that, this was a really good game which proves that we were worthy finalists. Hopefully this sets us up in a really good way, we pride ourselves on competing and hopefully we can put our skill to good use.
India
