India beat South Africa in T20 World Cup final

In the highly anticipated final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, Team India, led by captain Rohit Sharma, defeated South Africa to win their second T20 World Cup trophy.

Virat Kohli, Axar Patel powers India to a competitive total

India opted to bat first after winning the toss against South Africa. Rohit got India off to a brisk start with a quickfire 9 off 5 balls before falling early. However, it was Virat Kohli who anchored the innings masterfully, scoring a crucial 76 off 59 deliveries, including 6 fours and 2 sixes. His partnership with Axar Patel, who smashed 47 runs off just 31 balls, provided India with a competitive total of 176/7 in their allotted 20 overs. Shivam Dube‘s cameo of 27 off 16 balls and Hardik Pandya‘s quick 5 off 2 balls bolstered India’s total against a formidable South African bowling attack.

South Africa’s Bowling effort

South Africa’s bowlers faced a stern challenge from India’s batters. Marco Jansen picked up 1 wicket but was expensive, conceding 49 runs in his 4 overs. Keshav Maharaj and Anrich Nortje were the pick of the bowlers, both claiming 2 wickets each while maintaining economical figures of 23 and 26 runs respectively. Kagiso Rabada and Aiden Markram chipped in with a wicket each, but the bowling unit struggled to contain India’s aggressive batting lineup, conceding a total of 176 runs.

South Africa falters in chase

Chasing 177 runs to win the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, South Africa started cautiously but lost wickets at regular intervals. Quinton de Kock provided a solid start with 39 runs off 31 balls, but the middle order stumbled under pressure from India’s disciplined bowling attack. Heinrich Klaasen‘s blistering 52 off 27 balls, which included 5 sixes, kept South Africa in the hunt. However, the rest of the batting lineup couldn’t capitalize on starts, with Tristan Stubbs contributing 31 off 21 balls and David Miller adding 21 off 17 balls.

Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya shine with the ball

India’s bowlers maintained tight control over the game, with Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah leading the charge. Arshdeep claimed 2 wickets for just 20 runs in his 4 overs, while Bumrah also bagged 2 wickets conceding only 18 runs. Pandya proved to be the game-changer with his spell, taking 3 crucial wickets for 20 runs in 3 overs. Despite a few expensive overs from Axar and Kuldeep Yadav, India’s bowlers managed to restrict South Africa to 169/8 in their 20 overs, securing a thrilling 7-run victory.

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