India rout South Africa to seal T20 World Cup glory

India secured victory over South Africa by a narrow margin of seven runs in an intense final match at Barbados, reclaiming the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 title after 17 years.

Indian bowlers successfully defended their total of 177 runs by dismissing South Africa for 169 on a challenging pitch.

The South African innings saw early setbacks, with Jasprit Bumrah removing Reeza Hendricks in the second over and Arshdeep Singh dismissing Aiden Markram soon after. Despite a strong partnership between Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs, South Africa faltered after de Kock’s dismissal for 39. Heinrich Klaasen’s aggressive batting kept them in the chase until his departure at 52, followed by a flurry of wickets in the final over by Hardik Pandya, ensuring India’s victory.

Earlier, Virat Kohli played a crucial innings, scoring 76 runs from 59 balls after India lost early wickets. Kohli and Axar Patel’s partnership of 72 runs for the fourth wicket set up India’s competitive total.

India, after winning the toss, opted to bat first on what seemed a favorable pitch. Rohit Sharma, the Indian captain, emphasized the pitch’s quality and the importance of staying composed in such a significant match.

Both teams displayed high-quality cricket throughout the tournament, making it a memorable final between two strong sides.