In a thrilling final, India emerged victorious in the 2024 T20 World Cup, defeating South Africa by seven runs. This remarkable win brought the ICC trophy back to India for the first time since 2013 and ended a 16-year drought in the T20 format.
Winning the toss, India opted to bat first. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma opened the innings, with Kohli making a solid start. Despite Rohit being dismissed for just nine runs, Kohli's composed knock of 76 off 59 balls and a crucial 72-run partnership with Axar Patel (47 runs) propelled India to a competitive total of 176 for seven. Contributions from Shivam Dube, who scored 27 off 16 balls, further boosted India's score. South Africa's bowlers, Keshav Maharaj and Anrich Nortje, took two wickets each, while Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada chipped in with one wicket each.
Chasing the target, South Africa faced early setbacks with Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram falling quickly. However, a resilient partnership between Quinton de Kock and Trist Stubbs brought them back into contention. Henry Klaasen's aggressive 52-run innings pushed South Africa close to the target, but Jasprit Bumrah's early breakthroughs and consistent bowling ensured India remained in control. Ultimately, India sealed the victory on the final ball, marking their second T20 World Cup win.
This historic triumph in Barbados saw Rohit Sharma join the ranks of Kapil Dev and Mahendra Singh Dhoni as a World Cup-winning captain. India's comeback from the brink of defeat will be remembered as one of the most thrilling matches in T20 history.
