In a thrilling final at the Kensington Oval, India defeated South Africa by seven runs to win the T20 World Cup 2024 title on Saturday. This victory is India’s first ICC trophy since 2013 and makes them two-time T20 World Cup champions, having previously won in 2007.
The match was a nail-biter, with both teams fighting hard. India looked like they might lose until Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya turned the game around in the 16th and 17th overs. India’s strategic plays in the final moments caught South Africa, who had been in a strong position, off guard.
Chasing India’s challenging target, South Africa had a rough start, losing Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram early. A 68-run partnership between Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs gave them hope. Heinrich Klaasen then hit 22 runs in one over, putting South Africa in control.
However, the game changed when Pandya dismissed Klaasen, who was at 52 runs. South Africa needed 16 runs in the final over, but Pandya took David Miller’s wicket with the first ball, thanks to a great catch by Suryakumar Yadav. South Africa ended their innings at 169-8, falling short of the target. Pandya’s three wickets, along with key contributions from Arshdeep Singh, Bumrah, and Axar Patel, secured India’s victory.
Earlier, India set a strong total, mainly due to Virat Kohli’s brilliant 76 off 59 balls. Kohli hit three boundaries in the first over and continued to play aggressively. Rohit Sharma also contributed but was soon out, along with Rishabh Pant. At 34-3, India was in trouble, but a 72-run partnership between Kohli and Patel stabilized the innings. Patel scored a quick 47 before getting run out. Kohli then accelerated, reaching a half-century and adding crucial runs. Shivam Dube’s 27 off 16 balls helped India set a competitive total. South Africa’s Keshav Maharaj and Anrich Nortje took two wickets each, while Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen took one each.
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India’s victory ended a 17-year wait for a T20 World Cup title. Cricket fans celebrated the historic win, calling the match one of the greatest in T20 history.
Team of India and South Africa
Playing XIs: India: Rohit Sharma (capt), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah.
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (capt), Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi.