T20 World Cup
T20 World Cup: In Bridgetown, Barbados, India secured a thrilling seven-run victory against South Africa in the final of the Twenty20 World Cup on Saturday.
South Africa, participating in their first-ever ICC tournament final, needed 30 runs from 30 balls to win, thanks to Heinrich Klaasen’s aggressive 52 off 27 balls. However, Indian bowlers Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Hardik Pandya, who took a combined total of seven wickets, turned the game around in the last overs, limiting South Africa to 169-8.
Virat Kohli scored his first half-century of the tournament, which he later revealed would be his last T20 international match, helping India reach 176-7 after captain Rohit Sharma chose to bat first.
Sharma expressed his pride in the team, saying, “The guys understand what needs to be done when under pressure. Today was a perfect example of sticking together with our backs against the wall. We wanted this really bad. Very proud of the boys and the management.”
This win marked India’s second T20 World Cup title and their first world title in 13 years, following recent disappointments in the World Test Championship final and the 50-over World Cup final at home.
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South Africa’s loss was especially heartbreaking. Both teams had reached the final unbeaten, and South Africa seemed poised to finally break their World Cup curse.
South Africa raced to 147-4 in 15 overs, with Heinrich Klaasen hitting three sixes and a four in one over from Axar Patel, costing India 24 runs. But Jasprit Bumrah bowled brilliantly, giving away only six runs in his next two overs. In between, Hardik Pandya managed to get Klaasen caught behind, removing a key threat.
David Miller, despite scoring 21 runs, couldn’t get much of the strike. Arshdeep Singh bowled a tight penultimate over, conceding just four runs, leaving Pandya 16 runs to defend in the final over.
On Pandya’s first ball, Miller was dismissed with a spectacular catch by Suryakumar Yadav on the long-off boundary, sealing India’s victory.
South Africa’s captain, Aiden Markram, expressed his disappointment, saying, “We are gutted. It hurts a lot, but I am incredibly proud of the team. We were in a great position to win, but things changed quickly at the end. We proved we were worthy finalists.”
Earlier in the match, Virat Kohli, who had only scored 75 runs in seven games, made a crucial 76 off 59 balls with six fours and two sixes. India was in trouble at 34-3 within the first five overs, but Kohli steadied the innings.
Axar Patel, promoted to No. 5, played a key role by hitting four sixes in his quick 47 off 31 balls. He shared a 72-run partnership with Kohli, helping India recover.
Kohli reached his half-century off 48 balls in the 17th over and then accelerated, hitting big sixes against Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen. He was finally out in the deep in the second-last over.
Kohli said, “This was my last T20 World Cup, and this is what we wanted to achieve. I got the job done for the team on the day it mattered. It’s time for the next generation to take over; some amazing players will keep the team’s flag flying high.”
Shivam Dube scored 27 off 16 balls before getting out in Anrich Nortje’s last over. India scored 58 runs in the last five overs.
Kohli gave India a strong start by hitting Marco Jansen for three boundaries in the first over. Captain Rohit Sharma also contributed, hitting Keshav Maharaj for two fours off his first two balls.
However, Keshav Maharaj made a significant impact in his first over. He dismissed Rohit Sharma, who was caught brilliantly by Heinrich Klaasen at square leg, and then Rishabh Pant, who mishit a reverse sweep and was easily caught behind the wickets.
Klaasen continued to excel in the field, catching Suryakumar Yadav at deep fine leg off a short-pitched ball from Kagiso Rabada. This left India in a tough spot before Axar Patel and Virat Kohli started to rebuild the innings.
Patel’s innings ended due to a brilliant piece of fielding by wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock, who intercepted a flick from Kohli and hit the stumps at the non-striker’s end with a direct throw, running out Patel.
