After a 17-year wait, the boys in blue finally brought an ICC Trophy home with a nail-biting clash between India and South Africa at Barbados, West Indies. The boys in blue put up an all-round performance and an unbeaten streak, boosting their confidence throughout the season. And the final was especially a thriller that kept the fans on the edge of their seats. Early wickets of Rohit Sharma at 9 (5) and Rishab Pant at 0 (2) put immense pressure on India. But the ever-reliable Virat Kohli stood tall with a crucial knock, helping India set a defendable total, with an innings of 76 (59) The critical partnerships of Axar Patel-Virat Kohli and Shivam Dube-Virat Kohli helped India register the highest target ever in the finals of the T20 World Cup, with Australia's 173 in 2021 against New Zealand coming in at second. Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel brought in early wickets in the powerplay. But the partnership between Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs looked dangerous for the Indian side. South African batters kept the Required Run Rate (RRR) below ten through their innings, making a precise win prediction difficult. Henrich Klassen was at his peak with 52 runs in just 27 balls and a blazing strike rate of 222, as he turned the direction of the match. Klassen and David Miller were unstoppable as they built up a stable innings with fierce batting, but Hardik Pandya ended this strong partnership in style by picking up Klassen's wicket. And what a final over it was -- with 1.4 billion people's aspirations on his shoulders, Hardik showed class as he struck twice, defending 16 runs in 6 balls. Suryakumar Yadav's exceptional catch of David Miller was also crucial to the win. The entire stadium erupted in celebration as India finally won the T20 World Cup after 17 years. The coach, the team, and the fans were at the peak of happiness and satisfaction as India finally triumphed after playing three different finals across formats. Conversely, South Africa's heartbreak was evident after their unbeaten run ended in the final. Every player on the Indian team showcased their best game; the batting, bowling, and fielding looked stronger and more impactful. Jasprit Bumrah received the Player of the Tournament award for his consistent and classic performance. Virat Kohli added another Player of the Match award to his cabinet for his exceptional batting in the final. But this was the end of an era, as Rahul Dravid stepped down as the Head Coach for the Indian cricket team. "No better time to say goodbye to this format," said Rohit Sharma. "God is great, and I got the job done for the team on the day it mattered," remarked Virat Kohli, as both of them announced retirement from T20I cricket. Congratulatory wishes came in from different parts of the world for the phenomenal victory. Rohit and the team will always be celebrated for this achievement, which will go down in history. From an 8% win prediction to emerging victorious in the finals, India showed brilliance, class, and exceptional skills throughout the tournament as they lifted the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 trophy unbeaten.
30 Jun 2024
Yashaswini Salimath
