World
India sets T20 World Cup record to beat South Africa in heart-stopping final
India has been crowned Twenty20 World Cup champion after a seven-run victory over South Africa in a heart-stopping final in Barbados.
Electing to bat on a dry surface at Kensington Oval on Saturday, 2007 champion India overcame a top-order meltdown to post a competitive 7 for 176, the highest total in a T20 World Cup final.
Virat Kohli, 76, made his first 50 of this World Cup and Axar Patel smashed 47 to power India to a healthy score.
The Proteas suffered an early collapse but Quinton de Kock, 39, and Tristan Stubbs, 31, put the chase back on track.
Heinrich Klaasen, 52, counter-attacked in spectacular fashion but India’s impeccable death-overs bowling restricted South Africa to 8 for 169.
“We play the sport for this, I am really over the Moon,” said India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah, who was named player-of-the-tournament.
“We’ve been working really hard towards this, no better feeling than that.
“We play sport for the big stages. On the big day, you have to give more.”
The trophy ended India’s 11-year wait for a global title and most of the players were in tears after the victory, while their South African counterparts looked desolate.
After Klaasen plundered 24 runs one Axar over, South Africa looked to be cruising to victory, needing 30 runs from 30 balls with six wickets in hand.
Bumrah returned to stop the run flow, however, and Hardik Pandya dismissed Klaasen to change the momentum.
With David Miller in the middle South Africa still looked capable of scoring 20 runs from the last 12 balls.
But Arshdeep Singh conceded only four runs in the penultimate over and Pandya gave away only eight in the final six balls to seal an emotional victory.
Australia was knocked out after Afghanistan progressed to the semifinals for the first time with a dramatic, rain-hit win over Bangladesh.
Reuters
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