Bridgetown: A fine exhibition of death bowling by trio of Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya and stupendous knocks by Virat Kohli and Axar Patel helped India end their ICC trophy drought, securing their second ICC T20 World Cup title by beating South Africa by seven runs in a thrilling final at Barbados on Saturday.
𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙈𝙋𝙄𝙊𝙉𝙎 🏆🇮🇳#T20WorldCup | #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/uu7zbpsW1p
— ICC (@ICC) June 29, 2024
Proteas have once again left heartbroken, yet to win an ICC title. Meanwhile, India has ended its 11-year long ICC trophy drought, winning their first ICC title since the Champions Trophy in 2013. India is the first team to have captured the title undefeated.
In the run chase of 177 runs, South Africa was off to a poor start as pacers Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh struck early. While Bumrah cleaned up Reeza Hendricks for four runs, Arshdeep got skipper Aiden Markram got caught behind by Rishabh Pant for four runs as well. SA was 12/2 in 2.3 overs.
Halfway through the innings, Proteas was 81/3, with de Kock (30*) and Klaasen (8*) unbeaten. Till now, Proteas was doing really fine with the run-rate, scoring a boundary or six in each over at least, mainly targeting Indian spinners.
With a huge six by Klaasen on a Kuldeep Yadav delivery over extra cover, Proteas reached the 100-run mark in 11.3 overs. After an onslaught on spinners, Arshdeep’s pace ended the budding partnership between Klaasen and De Kock, dismissing de Kock as he looked to target the leg side with a pull shot following a boundary. Skipper Rohit Sharma got his catch for 39 in 31 balls, with four boundaries and a six. SA was 106/4 in 12.3 overs.
Miller eased the pressure with a four and six against Kuldeep, ending the bowlers’ spell at 0/45 in four overs. Proteas was 123/4 in 14 overs, needing 54 in the final six overs. Axar was demolished in the 15th over, being smashed for two fours and two sixes by Klaasen. At the end of this over, SA needed 30 in 30 balls.
Klaasen reached his 50 in just 23 balls, with two fours and five sixes. SA reached the 150-run mark in 15.2 overs. Pandya came and delivered for India the crucial wicket of Klaasen for 52 in 27 balls, with two fours and five sixes. He was caught behind by Pant. SA was 151/5 in 16.1 overs. Marco Jansen and Miller were the next pair to continue the chase. Pandya’s over though, gave a brief breather to India with no boundary, leaving them with 22 runs to defend in the final three overs.
Jansen was cleaned up by Bumrah for just two runs, and SA was 156/6 in 17.4 overs, left with 21 runs to get in 14 balls. Bumrah’s over gave away just two runs, leaving Proteas with 20 runs to get it final 12 balls. Arshdeep came to deliver the penultimate over and gave just four runs. Proteas needed 16 runs in the final six balls.
Hardik came to deliver the final over, getting the big wicket of Miler for 21 runs in 16 balls, with a four and six. Suryakumar Yadav took a fine catch near the boundary. Proteas was 161/7 in 19.1 overs, needing 16 runs in five balls. On the next ball, Rishabh dropped a catch, giving SA a boundary and leaving them with 12 runs in four balls. Singles came in the next two balls, leaving SA with 10 runs in two balls.
The next ball was a wide, leaving SA with nine to get in two balls. Rabada was dismissed, giving Hardik his third wicket and caught by Suryakumar. SA was 168/8 in 19.5 overs.SA ended at 169/8, with Indian team sealing the win by 7 runs and ending long waited World Cup drought.
**India Squad:** Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sanju Samson, Mohammed Siraj, Yashasvi Jaiswal.
**South Africa Squad:** Quinton de Kock (WK), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (C), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Bjorn Fortuin, Ryan Rickelton.
