India ended a 13-year wait for a World Cup trophy across formats with a dramatic win over South Africa in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados. Batting first, India found themselves in early trouble after Keshav Maharaj rocked the top order, dismissing Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant in the same over. Kagiso Rabada added to the pressure by removing Suryakumar Yadav, leaving India reeling at 39 for 3 inside five overs.
Virat Kohli Brought India Back In The Game
Amid the chaos, Virat Kohli, who had endured a poor tournament until then, stood firm. He anchored the innings with a gritty 76, while Shivam Dube and Axar Patel played vital cameos to lift India to a competitive 176 – a total that eventually proved just enough.
South Africa, chasing their first-ever World Cup title, seemed to be in command midway through their innings. By the 14th over, they needed only 54 runs from 36 balls with five wickets in hand. Heinrich Klaasen then turned up the heat, smashing 22 runs off Axar Patel’s over to bring the equation down to 30 runs off 30 balls.
Klaasen’s Wicket And Bumrah’s Brilliance
But India fought back. Hardik Pandya struck a crucial blow by getting Klaasen caught behind on the first ball of the 17th over. Jasprit Bumrah then produced a moment of brilliance with a searing inswinger to bowl Marco Jansen. The momentum shifted completely.
Surya’s Jaw-Dropping Catch!
The turning point came when Suryakumar Yadav took a sensational boundary catch to dismiss David Miller – a moment that sealed the match and the title. South Africa’s chase fell just short, ending at 169, seven runs away from glory.
The emotional win was followed by the end of an era, as both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma announced their retirement from T20 internationals – signing off on a high after delivering India its long-awaited world title.
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