Team India beat South Africa by 7 runs in the finals of the 2024 T20 World Cup.
After being asked to bowl first, the South African cricket team got off to a fine start as they took three wickets within the powerplay, including the wickets of captain Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Suryakumar Yadav. However, team India made a recovery, with Virat Kohli and Axar Patel putting up a 72-run stand for the fourth wicket—the highest by an Indian pair in a final.
Although Axar Patel fell after a quick 47, Kohli scored a half century in 48 balls, which is the second slowest among Indians, before finishing on 76. India, however, put up a score of 176 for 7, which is the highest first-inning score in a final across nine editions.
At the loss of the fourth wicket in the chase at 106, South Africa’s chase stiffened, but number five Heinrich Klaasen compiled a 23-ball half-century, the quickest in any final, to charge the team towards the target.
In the 17th over, India marked a turnaround when Hardik Pandya snapped up Klaasen on 53, conceding only four runs. Jasprit Bumrah followed up with a spellbinding over, conceding only two runs while cleaning up Marco Jansen, leaving South Africa with a 20-run deficit. Arshdeep Singh then delivered a spotless over, conceding four runs, leaving South Africa with 16 to get into the final over.
With the first delivery of the over, Pandya landed the decisive blow, dismissing David Miller on the back of Suryakumar Yadav’s incredible catch at the long-off boundary. While Kagiso Rabada managed a four and a single off the next three deliveries, Hardik held his nerve and took the wicket of the left-hander off the penultimate to seal India’s win in Bridgetown.