(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) In an emotional climax, India ended their 11-year wait for a global trophy by defeating South Africa in a thrilling match, winning the T20 World Cup 2024 by seven runs in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Saturday night. This victory marks India's second T20 World Cup win, the first being in 2007 under MS Dhoni, and their first global title since the 2013 Champions Trophy.
Following this win, Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X to congratulate the Indian team stating, "CHAMPIONS! Our team brings the T20 World Cup home in STYLE! We are proud of the Indian cricket Team. This match was HISTORIC."
Star batter Virat Kohli, who was an emerging cricketer 17 years ago, scored his first fifty of this tournament in the final, crafting a stylish 76 off 59 balls with six fours and two sixes. This effort helped India reach a competitive total of 176 for seven.
The Indian bowlers, led by Arshdeep Singh (2/20) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/18), continued their stellar performance throughout the tournament by restricting South Africa to 169 for eight. This effort secured India their second T20 World Cup.
South Africa, playing in their first World Cup final, showed moments of resistance. Heinrich Klaasen posed a significant threat with a rapid 52 off 27 balls, including two fours and five sixes. However, Hardik Pandya's crucial wicket of Klaasen (3/20) tilted the game decisively in India's favor.
Virat Kohli deserves significant credit for anchoring India's innings and steering them to a competitive total. Despite early setbacks with the dismissals of skipper Rohit Sharma (9), Rishabh Pant (0), and Suryakumar Yadav (3), which left India struggling at 34 for three, Kohli played a crucial role.
He reached his fifty in 48 balls, providing the stability India needed. Kohli found a reliable partner in Axar Patel (47 off 31 balls, 1x4, 6x4), with whom he built a crucial fourth-wicket partnership of 72 runs to steady India's innings.
Even after Axar's run-out, who bravely took on South African bowlers, left-hander Shivam Dube (27 off 16 balls, 3x4, 1x6) contributed valuable runs towards the end of the Indian innings, providing late momentum.
Brief scores: India: 176/7 in 20 overs (Virat Kohli 76, Axar Patel 47; Keshav Maharaj 2/23) defeated South Africa: 169/8 in 20 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 52, Jasprit Bumrah 2/18, Arshdeep Singh 2/20) by 7 runs.
MENAFN29062024007385015968ID1108388659
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.