Credit: ICC
On June 29, 2024, India doused their 13-year World Cup trophy drought after beating South Africa by seven runs in the T20 World Cup final in 2024, played in Barbados. At the toss, India skipper Rohit Sharma emerged victorious against his counterpart Aiden Markram and elected to bat first. In the big game, India’s key batters Rohit, Rishabh Pant, and Suryakumar Yadav departed in single-digit scores within the first powerplay. In the crunch situation, veteran Virat Kohli and Axar Patel held their nerves and produced impactful innings from their bats. Both stitched a 72-run stand together for the fourth wicket in 54 balls. Axar went back to the dugout after scoring 47 off 31 but Kohli stood at the crease until the penultimate over of the innings.
Kohli concluded his knock after scoring 76 off 59 while Shivam Dube also struck 27 off 16. In the end, India delivered a target of 177 to the Protea side. Defending the total, Jasprit Bumrah cleaned up Reeza Hendricks and delivered the first breakthrough to India in the second over of the innings. Arshdeep Singh also got the crucial scalp of Markram and handed the momentum to his team.
Heinrich Klaasen’s fifty goes in vain as India stood tall to win the massive contest
Following the quick fall of two wickets, Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs built a 58-run partnership off 38 balls. Stubbs and de Kock scored 31 (21) and 39 (31) respectively and following their dismissals, Heinrich Klassen took the matter into his hands and hammered Team India bowlers mercilessly.
He notched up a brisk 52 off 27 but after his fall, India made an unprecedented comeback in the game. With South Africa requiring 26 off 23, Team India bowlers displayed mettle and snatched the victory from the jaws of defeat. In the final over, Suryakumar Yadav took a match-changing catch near the boundary line to assist Hardik Pandya to dismiss David Miller.
Eventually, South Africa fell seven runs short and India succeeded in winning the International Cricket Council (ICC) trophy after 11 years. Virat Kohli became the Player of the Match (POTM) for his batting brilliance while Jasprit Bumrah got the Player of the Tournament award for picking up 15 wickets in eight games of the marquee event.
