Outgoing Virat Kohli and nerveless fast bowlers take India to drought-breaking title after Proteas fluff run chase
South Africa’s history of heartbreak was extended as India clinched a drought-breaking World Cup title, thanks to Virat Kohli in his T20 International swansong and his side’s nerveless pacemen, following a dramatic final in Barbados.
With the Proteas needing 16 from six balls to lift a major ICC trophy for the first time, Suryakumar Yadav held on to a juggling catch in which his feet came perilously close to the boundary rope to remove last-recognised batter David Miller and cap a remarkable fightback after the game appeared South Africa’s for the taking.
Heinrich Klaasen (52 off 27) had reduced the equation to 30 required off the last 30 deliveries with six wickets in hand, but fast bowlers Japsrit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya combined to take four wickets and concede just 22 runs from the final five overs.
It sparked joyous scenes of celebration from the Indians, who were unbeaten in nine games this tournament, while their opponents’ faces were a picture of despair.
Pandya, who bowled a composed final over, sunk to his knees and looked to the heavens after the seven-run victory was confirmed as reserve players rushed the field and support staff waved the national flag.
Kohli stood tall in the biggest moment after a rotten campaign as the opener posted a 59-ball 76 – one more run than he had previously managed for the entire tournament – to take India to 7-176, the biggest total ever scored in a T20 World Cup final.
The star batter announced post-match he had his played final T20I.
“This was my last T20 World Cup, and this is what we wanted to achieve,” said Kohli. “One day you feel you can’t get a run, then things happen.
“(In my) last T20 for India, wanted to make the most of it. Wanted to lift the Cup, wanted to respect the situation rather than force it. This was an open secret, it’s time for the next generation to take over, some amazing players will take the team forward and keep the flag waving high.”
It marks India’s first major men’s title since their 2011 50-over triumph at home, while it is their second T20 World Cup win after taking out the inaugural title in 2007.
South Africa’s painful reputation as world cricket’s nearly men goes on, and the close-fought game will do little to help them shed the ‘chokers’ tag that has dogged them for decades.
“It’s just gut wrenching – that’s really what it is,” said SA captain Aiden Markram.
“It’s not the first game of cricket that’s been lost with 30 needed off 30. It’s sport – India are allowed to bowl well, they’re allowed to field well, they’re allowed to go from that position to a position of strength – it happens often in this game.
“They bowled really well at the back-end, they had a simple plan. A run-a-ball can go to 10-an-over really quickly … It’s tough to deal with but we’ll try to use it to fire us up for future events.”
So much of South Africa’s hopes looked pegged to the early fortunes of Quinton de Kock (39 off 31), whose desire to attack the Powerplay had to be tempered when his side slumped to 2-12.
But expensive outings from India’s spinners kept the Proteas in the hunt.
Kuldeep Yadav (0-45 from four) and Ravindra Jadeja (0-12 from one) both struggled and when Klaasen pummelled Axar Patel’s (1-49) final over for 24, the required run-rate that had hovered close to 10 was suddenly at a run-a-ball.
Klaasen’s six-laden innings was ended by Pandya to leave South Africa 5-151 in the 17th over, but a strong platform had been set for Miller (21 off 17) to lead his team to their maiden title in what was their first ever appearance in a final.
The left-hander’s first-ball blow off Pandya in the final over could easily have gone for six if not Suryakumar’s fleet-footed grab on the long-off rope.
The Indian batter threw the ball skywards with his feet centimetres from the boundary rope before he stepped back inside the field of play to complete the dismissal. Third umpire Richard Kettleborough deemed Suryakumar’s feet had not grazed the rope after looking at replays.
It saw Pandya finish the with scalps of South Africa’s two most dangerous finishers, Miller and Klaasen, coming after Bumrah (2-20 from four overs) had clean bowled Reeza Hendricks and Marco Jansen, the former with a ball-of-the-tournament contender.
Kohli began in imperious fashion after his opening partner Rohit elected to bat on a barren wicket square, carving his first two balls for four, but the dismissals of three of his teammates (including Rohit) in the Powerplay saw him slip back into second gear.
A cautious 72-run partnership with Axar (47 off 31) was punctuated by the allrounder’s four sixes and broken only when de Kock threw down the non-striker’s stumps with a brilliant direct-hit run out.
Kohli finally exploded after bringing up a sedate 48-ball fifty, slamming 26 off his last 11 balls to see India defy a supreme Proteas fielding effort.
Men’s T20 World Cup finals
27 June: Semi-final 1, South Africa beat Afghanistan by nine wickets
28 June: Semi-final 2, India beat England by 68 runs
30 June: Final, India beat South Africa by seven runs
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