Anchor Virat Kohli, Clutch Jasprit Bumrah And ‘THAT’ SKY Catch –India’s Three Defining T20 World Cup 2024 Victory Moments

India ended their ICC trophy drought with an incredible win in the T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados. A long wait of 11 years for the fans and the players ended as emotions ran high as India came from behind to deny an equally deserving South Africa. From needing just about run-a-ball, the Proteas succumbed, failing to seize the clutch moments of the game, allowing India to claw back. And once India got a whip of victory, they rode the momentum to bag their sixth ICC Trophy – the first since 2013.

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From Virat Kohli, who was a mere shadow of himself throughout the tournament heading into the final, Jasprit Burmah, who was operating at an altogether different level throughout the competition, to that one moment of Brilliance from Suryakuamr Yadav – here are the three defining moments from India’s T20 World Cup 2024 glory

Anchorman Virat Kohli

There is no place for an Anchor in T20s. There is no time to consolidate. Virat Kohli has not scored a boundary in 37 balls. But with India tottering at 34/3, you needed the Anchorman. You needed Virat Kohli, and he turned up. How? Kohli came into the match with 75 runs at an average of 10.71 in 8 innings. But, he started with a flurry of boundaries, hitting Marco Jansen for three fours before India lost three quick wickets. He had to dial back his aggression to stabilize the Indian innings.

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Kohli realized he had to play the percentage shots, and he did. He negotiated with Anrich Nortje and Kagiso Rabada and played the field against Keshav Maharaj and Tabraiz Shamsi. With Axar Patel going for the big shots, the plan was clear: Kohli was setting himself up for the big finish. Yes, he did not find the boundary ropes for 37 deliveries, but he scored 29 runs in those 37 deliveries. He reached his 50 off 48 deliveries; murmurs of strike rate and intent started to do the rounds. Then Kohli stepped it up – 6 and a 4 off Rabada, 4 and a six off Jansen; his subsequent 26 runs came off just 11 deliveries, and by the time he departed, India had 163 runs on the board with seven balls remaining.

He had done the job, a job that he is so efficient at that we often tend to take it for granted. A job so tough, he makes it so easy, and that makes us yearn for more from him. But Kohli did not give us more. He showed exactly what was required—a level head, a fighting total for the bowlers to bowl at—the Anchorman had delivered when it mattered the most.

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Clutch Play by Japsrit Bumrah

Heinrich Klassen threatened to take the game away from India in the middle overs after thumping Axar Patel for 24 runs in the 15th. After all, Klassen is the best batter in this format in this situation. 30 off 30, and SA were cruising to victory. Rohit Sharma had to play his juggler. Enter Jasprit Bumrah – 4 runs off the 16th, and he did not allow SA to run with the game. Hardik Pandya bowled a wide one in the next over and got Klassen. India was back in it.

But the threat of David Miller still loomed large. 18th over, the most pivotal one of the game – Bumrah v Miller – 0.0.1. Then, the Wicket of Jansen. 0 and 1 to Keshav Maharaj – 2 runs and a wicket. Bumrah ended with 4-0-18-2 – IN A GODDAMN FINAL! Talk about clutch play – no look further than JASPRIT ‘FREAKING’ BUMRAH.

SKY’s Moment of Brilliance

Yet, India needed a bit of luck to get over the line, which came in the form of the incredible Suryakumar Yadav. No, not from his bat, but with his fabulous presence of mind on the outfield. Sixteen need off 6, Pandya to Miller — 9 out of 10 times the bet would be on ‘Killer Miller’ to come up trumps; but that one time it did not go Miller’s way, happened to be the final of the T20 World Cup 2024. Pandya, for all the hate he had received ever since shifting allegiance to Mumbai Indians, had the ball in the home stretch to try to bring India home.

And he ran in to bowl to his former Gujarat Titans teammate – a low full toss and Miller connected; not so well but enough to take the ball over the boundary ropes, barely, BUT, BUT, BUT … Suryakumar Yadav’s brilliant presence of mind on the ropes ensured India won the World Cup. Miller could not believe it! Suryakumar Yadav, at long off, steadied himself on the ropes and kept his eyes on the ball all the way through. He took the catch and released it just as his momentum carried him beyond the ropes and then returned to complete the catch. A SUPERLATIVE EFFORT!!!

Catches win matches, you say! Well, catches win you World Cups!!!

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