The long wait is over. India is world champion again.
In a classic ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final sure to be remembered for years to come, India made history with a nail-biting seven-run win over South Africa.
And with it came the celebrations. There was an undeniable sense of relief as well, as India finally managed to cross the final hurdle after two heartbreaking falls in just the last year.
This time around, Rohit Sharma’s men displayed ice cool nerves in the face of pressure. The game seemed to slip away when South Africa got ahead in the chase, but the Men In Blue was unwilling to throw in the towel. Nothing could stop the Indians from wearing that coveted title.
When the job was done, Virat Kohli looked up the sky with hands aloft. Rohit was mobbed by his teammates, and the support staff ran onto the ground with the national flag.
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It was sweet, sweet redemption for Kohli, who came good with the bat when it mattered. His 59-ball 76 may not have set the pulse racing, but it immensely helped the team’s cause.
India found two more heroes in Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav. With a miserly 18th over, Bumrah tightened the screws on South Africa. Bumrah conceded two runs and picked up a wicket in those six balls, which put the Proteas in a corner.
The final nail in the coffin was driven by Suryakumar Yadav, who pulled off a brilliant catch to dismiss David Miller in the last over. A juggling effort from Suryakumar at long-off sent the last recognised batter back. South Africa was knocked out cold.
After winning the toss, India made a challenging 176 for seven. There was concern among the Indian fans at the Kensington Oval when India slipped to 34 for three. India was forced to rebuild. Axar Patel and Kohli calmed nerves with sensible batting. Axar knew his role well, having performed this task against Pakistan earlier in the tournament.
A 72-run fourth-wicket partnership was exactly what India needed to stay afloat. There could have been more, if not for a lazy piece of running from Axar. Though halfway down the track, Axar had time to turn back and make the crease. Axar, however, stopped in his track for second. Wicketkeeper Quinton de Kock took full advantage, throwing down the stumps at the bowler’s end to catch Axar short.
Kohli’s desire to make it count was evident when he did not acknowledge cheers for his fifty. Using clean technique and shots along the ground, Kohli stuck in for the long haul.
His effort paid rich dividend in the end. The nation rejoiced alongside Kohli and his mates.
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