By Agencies
New Delhi, 29th June 2024 : India edged past South Africa by 7 runs in the final match of T20 World Cup 2024 at Kensington Oval, Barbados to clinch an ICC title after 11 years on Saturday.
Virat Kohli annouced his T20I retirement after the end of the game. India’s dream of ending the ICC title drought seemed well over with South Africa needing run-a-ball 30 to win with set batters Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller at the crease. India needed a magic to turn things up and they produced one! Jasprit Bumrah bowled a four-run over before Hardik Pandya dismissed Klaasen in what was another four-run over from India. Burmah just conceded two runs in the 18th over and removed Marco Jansen. Arshdeep Singh followed it up with a four-run penulitmate over. Hardik was handed the task to bowl the final over and he got the wicket of Miller on the first ball, thanks to Suryakumar Yadav’s sensational catch at long-off. India kept things in control and won the game with a seven-run margin.
Earlier, Virat Kohli anchored the Indian innings with a gritty 76 off 59 as the 2007 champions posted a total of 176 for 7 in 20 overs, which turned out to be the highest total by any team in the final of a men’s T20 World Cup. India were reduced to 34 for 3 in 4.3 overs but a crucial 72-run stand between Kohli and Axar Patel bailed the team out of trouble. Axar fell for 47 off 31 while Kohli smashed 76 off 59.
