17 years after winning the 1st T20 World Cup, 13 years after winning their 2nd ODI World Cup, and after 2 heartbreaking losses in the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup finals in 2023, India finally ended their title drought, edging out South Africa by 7 runs in a thriller that went down to the last over.
Also, team India is now the third team to win the men’s T20 World Cup for the second time, having won the inaugural 2007 edition. West Indies were the first team with two titles, having won in 2012 and 2016, while England won in 2010 and 2022.
Dominant India wins second T20 World Cup title
The Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, was a sea of emotions as team India scripted a stunning fightback to beat South Africa in a thrilling final. There was joy, tears, and euphoria as India held their nerve and edged South Africa by seven runs in a tightly fought match. Virat Kohli led the way with the bat on the big stage with a brilliant 76(59) to help India post a competitive 176/7. Kohli was ably supported by Axar Patel (47 off 31) and Shivam Dube (27 off 16) with crucial contributions.
Defending the target, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh provided the perfect start with early wickets of Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram. South Africa then clawed their way back into the match courtesy of Quinton de Kock, Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller.
With 26 needed off 24, Hardik Pandya, Bumrah and Arshdeep scripted a sensational comeback as Pandya defended 16 off the last over, which saw Suryakumar Yadav pull off a spectacular catch on the fence to dismiss Miller, to pull off a sensational win and give a perfect farewell gift to Head Coach Rahul Dravid.
Virat Kohli was named the Player of the Match, while Bumrah was named the Player of the Tournament for his splendid bowling right through the tournament, finishing as the joint-second highest wicket-taker with 15 wickets, with an excellent average and economy rate of 8.26 and 4.17, respectively.
