Before the rain came down at Kensington Oval, emotions were already flooding the ground. With South Africa needing 10 runs from the last two balls, Hardik Pandya dismissed Kagiso Rabada, and Rohit Sharma’s team couldn’t hold back their feelings.
This was the moment they knew they had won. They didn’t care what happened next. Their memory would freeze at this moment. This was when India ended its 13-year wait for a World Cup, reclaiming the gold crown they last held 17 years ago. And what a win it was! In one of the most dramatic T20 finals ever, India won by just seven runs.
Virat Kohli, the batting hero of the game, closed his eyes and looked up in pure joy. Rohit Sharma celebrated with his fists in the air. Even though he was exhausted, he found the energy to celebrate. Tears rolled down Hardik Pandya’s cheeks; he had been a controversial figure before the tournament. Even the usually calm Rahul Dravid, in his last match as head coach, raised his hands in celebration. Suryakumar Yadav covered his face with his hands after making one of the greatest catches in World Cup history.
The game was unpredictable from start to finish, with the lead changing hands like the changing weather during the tournament. But the drama seemed to end when Klaasen's powerful batting brought the target down to 30 runs needed from 30 balls. Rohit Sharma took a last gamble and brought Jasprit Bumrah back into the attack. His brilliant over gave away only four runs, reminding South Africa they had to get past him to win. Nerves kicked in, and panic set in.
India felt a wave of energy, which turned into genuine belief when Hardik Pandya dismissed the unstoppable Klaasen, who was on 52 off 26 balls, by getting him to edge a wide ball to Rishabh Pant. Klaasen's regretful shot highlighted South Africa's tendency to falter in crucial moments. Their unfortunate streak continued, and Klaasen became a tragic hero like Lance Klusener before him.
Crucial Moments:
India won the Twenty20 World Cup after a close seven-run victory over South Africa in a thrilling final at the Kensington Oval on Saturday. Choosing to bat first on a dry pitch, India, who were champions in 2007, recovered from a shaky start to score a strong total of 176-7, the highest score ever in a T20 World Cup final.
Virat Kohli scored 76, his first fifty of this World Cup, and Axar Patel hit 47 to help India reach a strong total.
South Africa also struggled early, but Quinton de Kock (39) and Tristan Stubbs (31) brought them back into the game.
Heinrich Klaasen (52) fought back brilliantly, but India's excellent bowling in the final overs held South Africa to 169-8.
After Klaasen scored 24 runs in Axar's final over, South Africa seemed close to winning, needing 30 runs from 30 balls with six wickets left.
However, Bumrah slowed down the scoring, and Hardik Pandya got Klaasen out, changing the game.
With David Miller still batting, South Africa needed 20 runs from the last 12 balls, but Arshdeep Singh gave away only four runs in the second last over, and Pandya conceded only eight in the final over, sealing an emotional victory for India.
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Rohit Sharma Embraces Emotional Hardik Pandya After Challenging Six Months
After the seven-run victory, India captain Rohit kissed Pandya on the cheek while the all-rounder talked to Nasser Hussain in the post-match interview.
"It’s very emotional. Something wasn’t working, but this win was what the whole nation wanted," Pandya said afterward.
"Especially for me, after the last six months, where I haven’t said a word and things have been tough, I knew there would come a time when I could shine."
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