Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya in Tears After India Win T20 World Cup 2024 Title Beating South Africa In Final – WATCH

New Delhi: Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya were in tears after India defeated South Africa by seven runs in a thrilling T20 World Cup 2024 final in Barbados on Saturday. Batting first, India rode on 76 from Virat Kohli and Axar Patel’s 47 to post 176/7. In reply, Hardik Pandya did the star turn by dismissing a marauding Heinrich Klaasen and defend 16 runs in the final over to restrict the opposition to 169/8.

It was India’s second T20 World Cup victory after they had won it in 2007 under the legendary MS Dhoni in South Africa, and first since winning the Champions Trophy in 2013. Star batter Virat Kohli, who was an upcoming cricketer 17 years ago, made his first fifty of this tournament in the final — a classy 76 off 59 balls with six fours and two sixes.

Hardik Pandya in tears after defending the runs in the 20th over. pic.twitter.com/7vu6oIdzd0

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) June 29, 2024

Then the Indian bowlers, led by Arshdeep Singh (2/20) and Jasprit Bumrah (2/18), worked their magic as they did throughout this tournament, limiting South Africa to 169 for eight to propel India to their second T20 World Cup.
There were pockets of fight from the Proteas, who were playing in their maiden World Cup final. Heinrich Klaasen threatened India with a 52 off 27 balls (2×4, 5×6) but Hardik Pandya (3/20) snatched the crucial wicket to bring the game decisively in favour of India.

But a large chunk of the credit should go to Kohli for anchoring the innings and pushing India to a fighting total. He completed his fifty in 48 balls, but the knock was what precisely India needed the early dismissals of skipper Rohit Sharma (9), Rishabh Pant (0) and Suryakumar Yadav (3), which had reduced India to a worrying 34 for three.

However, Kohli had an able partner in Axar Patel (47, 31 balls, 1×4, 6×4) during the fourth wicket alliance that produced precious 72 runs to ease the early nerves. After the run-out of Axar, who took on SA bowlers bravely, another left-hander Shivam Dube (27 off 16 balls, 3×4 1×6) gave some late steam to Indian innings.

Meanwhile, after India’s win, Kohli also announced his retirement from T20Is, stating “This was my last T20 World Cup, this is exactly what we wanted to achieve. One day you feel like you can’t get a run and this happens, God is great. Just the occasion, now or never kind of situation. This was my last T20 game playing for India.”