History was made at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, as India triumphed over South Africa by 7 runs to claim the T20 World Cup 2024 title on Saturday, June 29.

For India, this victory marked the end of a 13-year drought, while for South Africa, the wait for a major ICC trophy continues. The final was a thrilling spectacle, showcasing the best of T20 cricket with its nail-biting moments and dramatic shifts in momentum.

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Memorable Matches of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024

The T20 World Cup 2024 was filled with unforgettable matches that showcased the excitement and unpredictability of T20 cricket. Here are five of the most memorable encounters:

1. The Grand Finale: South Africa vs India

Chasing 177 to win, South Africa faced a fierce Indian bowling attack. Early breakthroughs by Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh put India in control. Tristan Stubbs and Quinton de Kock staged a fightback, adding 58 runs off 39 balls, but their dismissals left South Africa in a precarious position.

With five overs to go, South Africa were rampant. Heinrich Klaasen, one of the great hitters in the game, and David Miller had clubbed 38 runs off the two previous overs, and with six wickets in hand South Africa needed only a run-a-ball off the last 30 balls.

Rohit Sharma was forced to go to the best bowler in the world, when he would have otherwise saved Bumrah for later overs. But the most telling blow, came at the start of the 17th over. Hardik bowled a wide line outside off and took the edge of Klaasen, Pant snaffling the chance gleefully.

Hardik Pandya’s decisive final over sealed the victory, with Suryakumar Yadav’s acrobatic catch on the boundary line providing the final dramatic twist. The climax came in the final over when Suryakumar Yadav’s stunning catch ensured India’s victory, ending their 13-year wait for a T20 World Cup title.

2. Afghanistan vs Australia (Super Eight Clash)

In a shocking upset, Afghanistan defeated Australia by 21 runs. Despite Pat Cummins’ hat-trick, Afghanistan’s Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Gulbadin Naib led their team to a modest total of 148.

Maxwell’s aggressive approach saw him unleash a series of audacious shots, including a shovelled four off Azmatullah Omarzai that left him beaming. After notching up a rapid 35-ball half-century. In a crucial moment, Naib, with the assistance of Noor Ahmad, dismissed Maxwell for 59 off 41 balls.

Noor Ahmad’s spectacular low catch at backward point off Naib’s delivery halted Maxwell’s momentum and left Australia struggling at 106 for 6 in the 15th over, still needing 43 runs off 32 balls.

Naib’s exceptional spell yielded career-best figures of 4 for 20, including the prized scalps of Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, and Pat Cummins, ensuring Afghanistan’s first-ever victory over Australia in any format.

Australia’s chase faltered as Naib’s four-wicket haul dismantled their batting lineup, securing Afghanistan’s first-ever victory over Australia in any format.

3. Australia vs India (Super Eight Clash)

India secured their spot in the semi-finals with a 24-run win over Australia. Rohit Sharma’s explosive 92 off 41 balls powered India to 205/5.

The Australian chase got off to a rocky start with Arshdeep Singh forcing an edge off David Warner in the very first over.

Head and captain Mitchell Marsh stitched an 81-run stand and threatened to take the game away from India as the two kept going from both ends. However, Kuldeep broke the stand in the 9th over, taking the big wicket of Mitchell Marsh after Axar Patel came up with a ‘catch of the tournament’ contender.

Glenn Maxwell threatened to go big, hitting 2 sixes and 3 boundaries for his 12-ball 20, but he was undone by Kuldeep, who got his wrong’un to bamboozle the Australian all-rounder. Axar Patel joined the party, dismissing the dangerous Marcus Stoinis for 2.

With the 24-run win, India confirmed their place in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup 2024. India finished Group 1 table on the top and continued their unbeaten run in the tournament. It was also India’s third successive victory against Australia in men’s T20 World Cups, a streak that began in 2014.

4. Afghanistan vs Bangladesh (Super Eight Clash)

Afghanistan defended a low total of 115 runs. Naveen-ul-Haq and Rashid Khan were instrumental in taking early wickets and maintaining pressure.

One of the most epic matches you will ever witness in a World Cup and this game had everything except a Super Over. We had three, no, four rain stoppages, the DLS method also came in but eventually, it was Afghanistan who prevailed in this game and will face South Africa in a bid to play in the Grand Finale.

Defending a meager total of 114 runs, Afghanistan needed early wickets and it was yet again Naveen-ul-Haq who stepped up and took the bull by its horns and picked up back-to-back wickets in the third over.

After the Powerplay, Rashid Khan weaved his magic and bowled four stellar overs, picking up four wickets and that put his side on top of proceedings.

Noor Ahmad and the others bowled economically but it was just slipping out of their grasp with 2 overs to go.

And yet again, Naveen bowled the crucial penultimate over and picked up back-to-back wickets yet again to seal the most memorable win for his side.

Earlier, Inserted into bat by Bangladesh, Afghanistan struggled to get its innings going before a few meaty blows from skipper Rashid Khan helped it post 115/5 in 20 overs

5. India vs England (2nd Semi-final)

India advanced to the final with a commanding 68-run win over England. Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav’s crucial partnership helped India post 171/7. Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav then dismantled England’s batting lineup, ensuring India’s place in the final after a decade.

Axar was the game-changer. He came on immediately after Jos Buttler had whacked Arshdeep Singh for three fours in an over and with his very first ball took out the biggest threat.

Each of Axar’s first three overs had a wicket off the first ball. Jonny Bairstow once again choosing to stay leg side and getting bowled, and Moeen Ali’s wicket.

England’s last recognised batter, Livingstone, was run-out after a mix-up with the lower order. Jasprit Bumrah gets the wicket of Jofra Archer. A yorker hits Archer’s back foot and umpire has raised his finger. Even a review could not save Archer as the ball has been found to be clipping the leg stump. India have defeated England by 68 runs and march into the final of T20 World Cup after 10 years.

In a thrilling turn of events at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, Indian captain Rohit Sharma did not hide his relief at the Australian cricket team being knocked out of the tournament. This significant development comes ahead of India’s all-important semi-final clash against England at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.

Rohit Sharma’s relief

When asked about his biggest takeaway from the victory over Australia, Rohit Sharma’s witty remark, “That there is no more Australian cricket team in this competition,” left everyone in splits. This statement underlined the immense pressure and respect that the Australian cricket team commands in the cricketing world.

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India have had a stellar run in the tournament so far, remaining unbeaten in the group stages. Key matches and turning points include their victories over Pakistan and South Africa, which solidified their dominance and boosted team morale.

The Match against Australia

The clash against Australia was a pivotal moment for India. Rohit Sharma was the star of the show, delivering a sublime knock of 92 runs in just 41 balls. His aggressive batting set the tone for India’s innings, allowing them to post a competitive total. Contributions from other key players like Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Arshdeep Singh with the ball ensured that Australia’s chase fell short by 24 runs.

Pre-Match Press conference

At the pre-match press conference ahead of the semi-final against England, Rohit Sharma’s confidence was palpable. His witty remark about Australia’s elimination highlighted the mental edge India gained from their victory over the Australians. The press conference also emphasized the importance of confidence and execution in T20 cricket.

“That there is no more Australian cricket team in this competition,” said Rohit while breaking into laughter.

Confidence boost for India

The victory over Australia provided a significant confidence boost for the Indian team. T20 cricket is often described as a game of confidence, where the mental state of players can greatly influence their performance. The Indian team’s ability to defend a challenging total against a formidable Australian batting line-up instilled a sense of belief and momentum.

“Australia is a great side. That is the reason they have won so many championships. The last game was the confidence of bowlers executing their plans. The batters going out and doing your jobs. So I think, that was the big one for us. When you play a game against a quality team and win like that, that gives you so much confidence. This format is all about confidence. As long as you have confidence in what you want to do, you are putting your foot in the right direction. That is what we wanted from that game. We wanted to take a lot of confidence. Batters getting the job done and bowlers trying to defend that score.”

Rohit Sharma’s personal satisfaction

For Rohit Sharma, the match against Australia was personally satisfying. He has long aspired to dominate high-pressure games by putting pressure on bowlers, and his performance against Australia was a testament to his hard work and strategic acumen.

“We know the batting line-up Australia has, no score is safe. For us to defend and win by 20 odd runs, it was a great confidence. Personally, I wanted to try something that I have been trying for a number of years, which was to put pressure on the bowlers. For me to do that was a great satisfaction. I was waiting for that game. When the result is in your favour, it is a great satisfaction,” Rohit added.

India’s Quest for ICC Trophy

India’s cricketing history have seen its fair share of heartbreaks, most notably the 2023 World Cup final loss to Australia. Such defeats have left an indelible mark on the team and its supporters, adding to the pressure to win a global title.

India’s last global title came in 2013 when they won the Champions Trophy. The team have not won the T20 World Cup since the inaugural edition in 2007 under MS Dhoni’s captaincy. The 11-year drought for a major ICC trophy is a significant motivator for the current squad.