New Delhi June 29
In Barbados, India ended an 11-year-long ICC Trophy drought, beating South Africa by seven runs to capture the ICC T20 World Cup title for the second time on June 29 last year.
This was Rohit Sharma's 2nd ICC T20 WC title and his first ICC title as a captain, after the heartbreak of losing to Australia in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 at home following a ten-match win streak.
India also celebrated the farewell of two giants of Indian cricket, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, from the T20 format, as they walked away with their heads held high.
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma was the star with the bat for India in the tournament. He slammed 257 runs in eight innings, including three fifties, at an average of 36.71 and a strike rate of over 155. He was also the second-highest run scorer in the tournament.
On the other hand, in bowling, Indian seamer Arshdeep Singh grabbed the most number of wickets for India in the T20 World Cup. He took 17 wickets in eight innings at an average of 12.64 and an economy rate of under 8. He was the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament.
India had elected to bat first, but was reduced to 34/3. However, it was another clutch effort from Virat Kohli, who had a relatively dull tournament up to that point, that calmed everyone down.
Three boundaries within the first few balls he faced was an ominous sign that Team India's biggest match-winner in past T20 WCs was going to be at his best.
He also had a fine 72-run stand with Axar Patel, who played a counter-attacking 47 in 31 balls, with a four and four sixes. Virat clobbered 76 in 59 balls, with six fours and two sixes. India reached a fighting 176/7 in their 20 overs.
The match hung in balance with a partnership of 58 runs between Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs and a 15th over onslaught on Axar by Klaasen, during which he hit 24 runs, left the game in favour of the Proteas, who needed 30 in the final 30 balls.
But in the 16th over, Hardik Pandya removed Klaasen for a well-made 52 in 27 balls, which had two fours and five sixes. From then on, India continued to apply pressure, with the match-sealing moment being Suryakumar Yadav's stunning catch, which saw him go out of the boundary ropes before pulling the delivery back within the ropes and catching it to dismiss a dangerous David Miller in the final over.
SA was reduced to 169/8, despite their best efforts.
- ANI
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