India Clinches T20 World Cup in Thrilling Final Showdown
The match had its ebbs and flows. India lost early wickets after opting to bat, and Virat Kohli resorted to his old role of a run accumulator. He struck a 59-ball 76, with six fours and two sixes (none of them coming in the 7-15 over period), while Axar Patel (47) and Shivam Dube (27) came up with supporting knocks to help India to a total of 176/6.
South Africa also lost a couple of early wickets, but a counter-attacking Tristan Stubbs and a cautious Quinton de Kock got them back on track. Heinrich Klaasen nearly killed the chase with his 27-ball 52, taking on the spinners to bring it down to 30 off 30. But Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, and Hardik Pandya put the chokehold on South Africa in the last five overs to seal a seven-run victory for their first ICC title since 2013.
The difference: India's pacers in the death
It should have been Klaasen, who attacked India's key spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel in the middle overs. His knock, which included five sixes and two fours, helped South Africa score more than 100 in the middle overs phase, plenty more than what India had managed. But Bumrah's last two overs yielded six runs, and both Arshdeep and Pandya kept it tight on their end as well, conceding a solitary boundary between them in the death. The three pacers picked up seven wickets between them, with all three of Pandya's strikes including the big one of Klaasen coming in the death overs, eventually leading to heartbreak in the South African camp.
INDIA
Powerplay: South Africa makes early inroads to dent India
Phase score - 45/3 [RR: 7.5, 4s/6s: 7/0]
Any concerns around Kohli's form in this World Cup were put to ease by the star batter who put away half-volleys from Marco Jansen, creaming three boundaries on a dry wicket that didn't offer any movement. Rohit Sharma struck two fours off Maharaj, edging a cut and reverse-sweeping the spinner, before an attempted sweep resulted in a catch to Klaasen square of the wicket. Rishabh Pant fell soon after, top-edging a full toss from Maharaj to the keeper trying to sweep. Suryakumar got off the mark with a couple off Rabada but wasn't in control of the shot and just about cleared mid-on. Kohli, who cut away a short ball from Maharaj for a four, employed a measured approach in his bid to steady India after the quick strikes. But Suryakumar handed a catch at fine leg trying to put away a slower delivery from Rabada, leaving India in a spot at 34/3. Axar received a promotion, and he clipped a four off Rabada for his first runs. Markram brought himself on and ended the powerplay with a quiet over, conceding only six singles.
Middle overs: Axar-Kohli stand steadies India
Phase score - 73/1 [RR: 8.11, 4s/6s: 0/5]
Nortje came into the attack only after the powerplay and started with a four-run over. Axar then took on the spinners, bringing out the slog sweep for a six apiece off Markram and Maharaj, and both the batters were happy to deal in singles and twos as they raised a half-century stand in 42 deliveries. Kohli assumed the role of batting deep while Axar was looking to target the spinners, getting his third six by clearing the long on fence in Tabraiz Shamsi's second over. The boundary opportunities didn't come against a disciplined Nortje, but Rabada wasn't afforded the same treatment, with Axar striking a straight six off a full delivery from Rabada to help India pass 100 in the 14th over.
