‘Even Captain Cool's heart raced' – India pull off a thrilling win in dramatic T20 World Cup final
Team India scripted a remarkable comeback victory against South Africa in the final of the 2024 T20 World Cup in Barbados on Saturday. Chasing a target of 177 runs, the Proteas looked well on course for their maiden world title with just 30 runs needed off the last 30 balls. However, a spectacular bowling performance in the death overs helped India clinch the trophy by a margin of just 7 runs.
The nail-biting finish to the world cup final left fans on the edge of their seats around the world. Even MS Dhoni, widely known as ‘Captain Cool' for his ice-cool demeanor on the field, admitted that the pressure of the final got to him. In an Instagram post congratulating the team, Dhoni revealed “My heart rate was up, well done on being calm”.
Dhoni led India to T20 World Cup glory in 2007, the inaugural edition of the tournament. He also captained the team to 2011 ODI World victory. However, Saturday's final proved that even for the veteran wicket-keeper, the magnitude of a global final was enough to get the pulse racing. India's famous ‘finisher' acknowledged the self-belief and composure showcased by Rohit Sharma's men in holding their nerve to win in a nail-biting finish.
Virat Kohli's 76 and cameos from other top order batsmen helped India post a competitive total of 176. South Africa seemed to be cruising in their chase until a brilliant bowling effort in the final 5 overs swung the match back in India's favor. Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya scalped crucial wickets and conceded just 30 runs combined in the death overs to snatch an unlikely victory from the jaws of defeat.
The triumph sees Team India lift their second T20 World Cup title, reinforcing their status as one of cricket's superpowers in the short format. It also marks India's first global trophy win since the 2013 Champions Trophy. Captain Rohit and Kohli have both announced their retirements from T20Is after playing pivotal roles in the famous victory.
