India beat South Africa by seven runs, win ICC T20 World Cup 2024

India clutched a win from the jaws of defeat as they pulled off a narrow seven-run win over South Africa to win the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. This is India’s second T20 World Cup title after having won the inaugural edition in 2007, under MS Dhoni’s captaincy.

The win was India’s first ICC trophy in more than 10 years. The last time India won an ICC trophy was in 2013 when they won the ICC Champions Trophy. India’s last World Cup win came in 2011, when they beat Sri Lanka in the final to win the ODI World Cup.

The result comes at the back of heartbreaking moments in Indian cricket over the last one year with the team losing the World Test Championship Final and the ODI World Cup, last November.

Batting first after winning the toss, India overcame a top order collapse to score 176/7, with Virat Kolhi scoring 76 off 59 balls with six fours and two sixes. Indian bowlers then restricted South Africa to 169/8 in 20 overs to win by seven runs.

For almost 15 overs into the chase, South Africa were the favourites. The team, playing their first final of the ICC World Cup, needed 30 runs to win in 30 balls, with Heinrich Klaasen’s David Miller holding fort.

Hardik Pandya removed the well-set Klassen for 52 (27 balls, 2 fours, 5 sixes) while Jasprit Bumrah castled Marco Janesn for 2 and Pandya snuffed David Miller in the last over, to a superlative catch by Suryakumar Yadav, to shut the door on South Africa.

The collapse came after Klaasen smacked three sixes and a four off left-arm spinner Axar Patel, in an over that went for 24 runs.

However, Bumrah pulled things back when he gave away only six runs in two overs and when Pandya sent Klaasen caught behind, India sniffed a chance.

Arshdeep Singh conceded just four in the penultimate over giving Pandya to defend 16 runs in the last over.

Earlier, Kohli, who scored 75 runs in seven games before the fina, stood like a rock to score 76 off 59 balls to lift India from a precarious 34/3 in the powerplay.

Axar Patel too showed his batting prowess scoring 47 off 31 balls and he, along with Kohli, put India back on track. The duo put on a partnership of 72 runs and it gave Shivam Dube to go for the kill later. Dube scored 27 off 16 balls as India scored 58 runs in the last five overs.