Kohli leads India to highest-ever total in a men's T20 World Cup final
Virat Kohli’s anchoring half century and a brilliant cameo of 47 from 31 balls from Axar Patel helped India recover from 34-3 inside the Power Play to reach a highly competitive total of 176-7 after winning the toss and choosing to bat first in the final of the T20 World Cup against South Africa at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday.
Marco Jansen conceded 15 runs from the first over but Keshav Maharaj (3-0-23-2) claimed two wickets in the second over of the innings in a dramatic change of direction with captain Rohit Sharma (9) sweeping straight to Heinrich Klaasen at square leg and Rishabh Pant (0) top edging another sweep into the gloves of Quinton de Kock.
When Suryakumar Yadav (3) flicked a Kagiso Rabada delivery to Klaasen on the square leg boundary India reacted to the early pressure by promoting Axar who responded with slog-swept sixes against all three spinners, Maharaj, Aiden Markram (2-0-16-0) and Tabraiz Shamsi whose three overs cost 26.
It rests in the balance in Barbados ⚖
— SuperSport 🏆 (@SuperSportTV) June 29, 2024
The @ProteasMenCSA need 177 to win the World Cup 🏆🎯
📺 Stream #T20WorldCup live: https://t.co/rM90YyQxaw pic.twitter.com/574gADyv3L
The fourth-wicket partnership of 72 was broken by an inspirational piece of fielding by de Kock who whipped his right glove off to run out Axar with a direct hit at the non-striker’s end from fully 35 metres. Axar struck a single four and four sixes.
Kohli’s smart, experienced and patient innings finally burst into life with a straight six against Rabada (4-0-36-1) but Rabada had the final word with a catch on the long on boundary in the 19th over as Jansen (4-0-49-1) claimed a consolation wicket. Kohli’s brilliant 76 from 59 balls (6x4, 2x6) may yet prove pivotal.
Kohli delivered when it matters most 👊#SAvIND | #T20WorldCup pic.twitter.com/kdjua3ojPu
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 29, 2024
Shivam Dube’s brisk and incisive 27 from 16 balls (3x4, 1x6) could also prove to be crucial d picking despite Anrich Nortje (2-26) collecting two wickets in the final over. India’s total is the highest in all T20 WC finals to date.
India and South Africa are the only two unbeaten teams in the tournament and comfortably beat England and Afghanistan by 68-runs and 9-wickets respectively in their semifinals.
India’s last World Cup title was in 2011 when they won the 50-over version while South Africa have never won a senior World Cup.
Both teams have retained the same starting XIs which played in the semifinals.
SOUTH AFRICA: Quinton de Kock (wkt), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (captain), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi.
INDIA: Rohit Sharma (captain), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wkt), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.
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