India vs South Africa: Relive India's 2024 T20 World Cup Title Win in Images

India ended an 11-year wait for a major trophy by defeating South Africa in a thrilling T20 World Cup final, becoming the first team to remain unbeaten throughout the tournament. The dramatic match took place at Kensington Oval in Barbados, where India clinched victory by seven runs, marking their second T20 World Cup title since their inaugural win in 2007.

At one point, it appeared South Africa was on the brink of victory, needing just 30 runs from the final 30 balls. However, a remarkable effort from Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya, and the Indian fielders turned the game around. Bumrah, who was named Player of the Tournament for his 15 wickets in eight matches at an astonishing economy rate of 4.17, played a crucial role in this comeback.

The final also marked the end of an era for Indian cricket, as it was the last T20 International for both captain Rohit Sharma and former captain Virat Kohli. Kohli, who struggled throughout the tournament, delivered a match-winning performance with a 59-ball 76, earning him the Player of the Match award. He announced his retirement from the format during the post-match presentation, and news of Rohit's retirement followed shortly after.

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The victory was a fitting farewell for head coach Rahul Dravid, who is stepping down after the T20 World Cup. Dravid, who also led India to the 2023 World Test Championship final and the 2023 World Cup final, leaves behind a legacy of resilience and excellence.

India won the toss and elected to bat first. Despite a shaky start, with Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant falling early, and losing three of their top-four batsmen inside the powerplay, Virat Kohli anchored the innings. Alongside Axar Patel, Kohli put up a crucial 72-run partnership. Kohli eventually accelerated in the death overs, scoring 76 off 59 balls, supported by Shivam Dube's 27 off 16 balls, helping India reach a competitive total of 176/7, the highest score in a T20 World Cup final.

South Africa's chase mirrored India's early struggles. Reeza Hendricks was dismissed by Bumrah in the second over, and captain Aiden Markram followed soon after, falling to Arshdeep Singh. Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs then stabilized the innings with a 58-run partnership. However, their dismissals, particularly Stubbs' wicket taken by Axar Patel and de Kock's by Arshdeep Singh, slowed South Africa's momentum.

Heinrich Klaasen's explosive 24-run over off Axar Patel in the 15th over seemed to shift the game in South Africa's favor. But Bumrah's economical 16th over and Hardik Pandya's breakthrough in the 17th, dismissing Klaasen, turned the tide. Bumrah's 18th over conceded just two runs and took the wicket of Marco Jansen, leaving South Africa needing 16 runs from the final over.

Pandya's composed final over, aided by Suryakumar Yadav's stunning catch to dismiss David Miller, sealed the victory for India. South Africa managed only 169/8, falling short by seven runs.

This historic win not only brought India their second T20 World Cup title but also highlighted the tenacity and skill of the team, underlining a new chapter in Indian cricket.