India Beat South Africa by 7 Runs to Become T20 World Cup 2024 Champion

After a prolonged wait of over 12 years to achieve a global title, India beat South Africa by 7 runs to win the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in a nail-biting final at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. With this historic win, India broke their 12-year-long drought for a global Cricket title. 

The flamboyant dasher, Virat Kohli’s contribution of 76 runs from 59 balls steadied the India innings and helped India reach a strong position of 176-7. Hardik Pandya’s three important wicket-taking records determined the match’s destiny and culminated in India’s victory. These helped India win the second ICC T20 title in Barbados. 

The Indian team left South Africa heartbroken as they were very close to victory with their score of 169 runs from 20 overs against India’s 176. As they could not get over India’s strong bowling line, their hope for breaking up the record of maiden world title remained elusive.     

Chasing a target of 177 runs to win the final, the team South Africa reached a win-win situation when they reached an easy target of 71 runs from 45 balls with six wickets in hand. 

The duo Quinton de Kock and Heinrich Klaasen played well and continued to chase until their partnership reached Proteas to 106. When all-rounder Hardik Pandya took the wicket of Klaasen, South Africa was very close to their reach. They needed just 26 runs from 23 balls. To make the situation adverse for the Proteas, Skipper Rohit Sharma brought Jasprit Bumrah’s final over earlier.  Bumrah proved the skipper’s decision was absolutely right by bowling superbly to Marco Jansen and giving just two runs in the 18th over. South Africa required 20 runs from the last two overs. Arshdeep Singh came to bowl the 19th over who delivered good length balls and ended his over just conceding 4 runs. 

Consequently, Proteas needed 16 runs from the last over to win the match. Hardik Pandya delivered a full toss at Miller. He dashed it straight down the ground, but Suryakumar Yadav took a magnificent catch on the boundary line. He threw the ball back into the ground before he crossed the boundary and returned to the gourd to turn it into a completely breathtaking catch. Thus, Proteas innings ended at 169 for 8 and India won the match by 7 runs.