Not Virat Kohli Or Jasprit Bumrah, Rohit Sharma Credits This India Star For T20 World Cup Win
India's ODI captain Rohit Sharma relived the T20 World Cup 2024 win under his captaincy. He spoke high about how the game was once going out of their hands but then they pulled it back. In a thrilling finale at Barbados, India clinched the T20 World Cup 2024 title by defeating South Africa by seven runs. For most of the match, the Proteas had the upper hand, especially when they needed just 30 runs off the final 30 balls, with big hitters Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller at the crease. But it was the brilliance of Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya in the death overs that turned the tide in India's favor, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
Earlier, India faced early trouble while batting first. A top-order collapse put them on the back foot, but Virat Kohli and Axar Patel stepped up to steady the innings. Kohli anchored the innings with a 76-run knock off 59 deliveries, his slow strike rate did raise some eyebrows but his presence at the crease helped keep the scoreboard moving. Axar's 47 off 31 balls came at a crucial time, lifting India's spirits and giving them hope. Shivam Dube also chipped in with a quickfire 27 off 16, pushing India's total to a competitive 176.
A year after that iconic win, captain Rohit Sharma opened up about what went on behind the scenes during that high-pressure final. Speaking to Star Sports, he revealed how tense things were in the dressing room after the early wickets fell and credited the Kohli-Axar partnership for shifting the momentum.
'I'm sure he (Kohli) was thinking the same: 'Today is the day I need to be focused.' Not worrying about what happened before. And he played a brilliant innings—a fantastic partnership with Axar. After losing those three wickets up front, there were obviously a lot of nerves in the dressing room. I was panicking. I wasn't comfortable,' Rohit said.
He also gave special praise to Axar Patel for a knock that hasn't received enough attention.
'Not many people are talking about Axar's knock, but it was the game-changer. Scoring 47 off 31 at that stage was vital. And we needed one player to bat through the innings—Virat did that brilliantly. Then we had Shivam, Axar, and Hardik, who came in and played their parts,' he added.
In the second innings, India's bowlers had to dig deep as South Africa looked poised for victory. But a remarkable fightback led by Bumrah and Pandya sealed the win and ended India's 11-year wait for an ICC trophy.
Looking back at that unforgettable night, Rohit couldn't hide his emotions.
'It was by far the best moment of my life, of my cricketing career to lift the trophy. It meant so much to all of us, to that group. We'd experienced the heartbreak of coming so close and falling short. That's why it was special. We planned meticulously. We worked hard every single day, constantly thinking about how to win the World Cup. That's why every player's emotions came pouring out on that day,' he said
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