India win T20 World Cup 2024, stun South Africa by 7 runs in final as Bumrah, Hardik nail finish

In the final, Bumrah and Hardik nail the finish as India defeats South Africa by 7 runs to win the T20 World Cup 2024.

India surprised South Africa on Saturday by winning by seven runs at the Kensington Oval in Barbados to win their second ICC T20 World Cup.

The Proteas had taken three wickets in the Powerplay, including captain Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Suryakumar Yadav, after being asked to bowl. But India rallied, led by Axar Patel and Virat Kohli, who put up the biggest partnership of any Indian duo in a final: 72 runs for the fourth wicket.

Axar was out following a fast 47, but Kohli achieved the second-slowest half-century among Indians with 48 balls before concluding at 76. But India placed a strong 176/7 total, which is the greatest first-inning score in a final in nine years.

SA  vs. IND

After losing the fourth wicket to reach 106, South Africa's pursuit became more difficult, but Heinrich Klaasen, batting at number five, scored the fastest half-century in history with 23 balls, propelling the side closer to the goal.

When Hardik Pandya dismissed Klaasen on 53 with just four runs conceded, India staged a dramatic reversal in the 17th over. Following up, Jasprit Bumrah produced an enthralling over in which he cleaned up Marco Jansen for just two runs, leaving South Africa down by twenty runs. After giving up four runs in a perfect over, Arshdeep Singh bowled the last over, leaving South Africa needing 16 runs to win.

Following an amazing catch by Suryakumar Yadav at the long-off boundary, Pandya dismissed David Miller with the first ball of the over, dealing the last blow. Hardik maintained his composure and removed the left-hander off the last delivery, sealing India's historic victory at Bridgetown, even though Kagiso Rabada got a four and a single off the next three deliveries.

This is India's second T20 World Cup victory after defeating Pakistan by five runs in the first final in Johannesburg in 2007 and their first since winning the ICC Champions victory in 2013.

Rohit Sharma becomes the first captain in 50 Twenty20 Internationals

In his second T20 World Cup as the team's captain, Rohit Sharma of India also made history by becoming the first captain to win 50 men's T20Is. In 2023, Rohit led India to the World Test Championship final and the ODI World Cup final, where they lost to Australia in both events.

	Final
Year	Venue	Winner	Result	Runner-Up	Winning Captain
2007	Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg	India 157/5 (20 overs)	India won by 5 runs	Pakistan 152 all out (19.4 overs)	MS Dhoni
2009	Lord’s, London	Pakistan 139/2 (18.4 overs)	Pakistan won by 8 wickets	Sri Lanka 138/6 (20 overs)	Younis Khan
2010	Kensington Oval, Bridgetown	England 148/3 (17 overs)	England won by 7 wickets	Australia 147/6 (20 overs)	Paul Collingwood
2012	R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo	West Indies 137/6 (20 overs)	West Indies won by 36 runs	Sri Lanka 101 all out (18.4 overs)	Daren Sammy
2014	Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, Dhaka	Sri Lanka 134/4 (17.5 overs)	Sri Lanka won by 6 wickets	India 130/4 (20 overs)	Lasith Malinga
2016	Eden Gardens, Kolkata	West Indies 161/6 (19.4 overs)	West Indies won by 4 wickets	England 155/9 (20 overs)	Daren Sammy
2021	Dubai International Stadium, Dubai	Australia 173/2 (18.5 overs)	Australia won by 8 wickets	New Zealand 172/4 (20 overs)	Aaron Finch
2022	Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne	England 138/5 (19 overs)	England won by 5 wickets	Pakistan 137/8 (20 overs)	Jos Buttler
2024	Kensington Oval, Bridgetown	India 176/7 (20 overs)	India won 7 by runs	South Africa 169/8 (20 overs)	Rohit Sharma