India defeated South Africa to win the 2024 T20 World Cup, ending their lengthy international trophy drought. India became the second team in the event to win the T20 World Cup thrice, behind West Indies and England.
An indication of India’s lasting influence in the sport is the country’s extensive record of international victories in both the ODI and T20 formats. Every championship has added to the illustrious history of Indian cricket, from the momentous victory in 1983 to the exhilarating victories in 2007, 2011, and 2024.
The Road to Victory: India’s Journey in the Tournament
Let us take a look at the steps leading up to the Final.
Group Stages
Ireland
India’s T20 World Cup 2024 campaign began with an eight-wicket victory over Reland on June 5 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York.
Batting first, the Irish only managed to rack up 96 runs, thanks to a good performance by the Indian fast bowlers. Hardik Pandya led the attack with three wickets, next came Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, who both took two wickets.
India completed the 97-run chase in 12.2 overs, with Rohit Sharma (52 runs in 37 balls) and Rishabh Pant (36 runs in 26 balls) guiding the way with the bat.
Pakistan
On June 9, the Rohit Sharma-led team defeated their arch-rivals in a bowler-dominated match in New York.
Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl first. The Men in Green bowled India out for 119 runs, with Naseem Shah and Haris Rauf taking three wickets apiece, and only Rishabh Pant (42 runs in 31 balls) providing a significant contribution.
The Indian pacers were again in action, this time defending a modest total. Although they struggled to pick up wickets in the first ten overs, Jasprit Bumrah (3/14), Hardik Pandya (2/24) and Arshdeep Singh (1/31) burst into action, with a little help from Axar Patel (1/11), to keep Pakistan six runs behind.
USA
On June 12, India won convincingly by seven wickets over the co-hosts at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium.
Arshdeep Singh’s immaculate stint, in which he took four wickets for nine runs, limited the USA to 110/8 in 20 overs.
Saurabh Netravalkar created a significant challenge by taking the wickets of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the third over. But anchoring efforts from Suryakumar Yadav (50 runs in 49 balls) and Shivam Dube (31 runs in 35 balls) allowed the Men in Blue cross the finish line with 10 balls to spare.
India qualified for the Super Eights by winning Group A with 7 points from four games.
Super Eights
Afghanistan
Transitioning from the United States to the West Indies for the Super Eights stage of the competition, India faced Afghanistan in the Group 1 opener on June 20 at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.
Suryakumar Yadav’s powerful knock (53 runs in 28 balls), assisted by Hardik Pandya (32 runs in 24 balls) and Axar Patel (12 runs in 6 balls), helped India reach 181 runs.
Afghanistan were bowled out for 134 runs, with Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah both taking three wickets, followed by Kuldeep Yadav’s two.
Bangladesh
India maintained their Super Eights momentum with another dominant win over Bangladesh on June 22 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.
Rohit Sharma’s quickfire 23 runs from 11 balls set the tone for India. Virat Kohli (37 runs in 28 balls), Rishabh Pant (36 runs in 24 balls), and Shivam Dube (34 runs in 24 balls) all delivered solid performances before Hardik Pandya’s blazing 50 off 27 balls propelled India to 196/5.
The Men in Blue held Bangladesh to 50 runs, with Kuldeep Yadav taking three wickets and Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah taking two each.
Australia
In a replay of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 Final loss, India defeated Australia and advanced to the semi-finals.
Rohit Sharma gave a show at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, scoring 92 off 41 balls. Suryakumar Yadav’s quickfire 31 runs off 16 balls enabled India set a target of 206 runs for Australia.
Although Travis Head (76 runs in 43 balls) threatened to spoil India’s party once more, wicket-taking performances from Arshdeep Singh (3/37) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/24) helped their team to a 24-run victory.
Semi-finals
England
In the 2022 Men’s T20 World Cup semi-finals, England defeated India by ten wickets. In 2024, India turned the tables on England, bowling them out for 103 and triumphed by 68 runs at Guyana’s Providence Stadium.
Batting first, Rohit Sharma (57 runs in 39 balls) and Suryakumar Yadav (47 runs in 36 balls) helped India set England a 172-run mark.
Defending the score, India’s spinners drove them to victory, limiting England to 103 runs in 16.4 overs. Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel each took three wickets, while Bumrah added two more.
Key Players and Their Contributions
Rohit Sharma
Captain of India
(16 games, 257 runs at 36.71)
Despite being the second-highest run-scorer, the captain of India narrowly lost out to Travis Head—who scored runs more quickly and with a higher average—for a berth on the tournament’s best team. This is mostly because of his leadership, as he led from the front by being fully focused and rallied his Indian team to a World Cup triumph. Considering that three of his innings were played on a very challenging surface in New York, his strike percentage of 156.70 is even more remarkable. With a formidable 92 off 41 balls, he destroyed Australia when given a favourable track in St Lucia.
Hardik Pandya
(7 matches, 11 wickets, 144 runs at 48, 7.64 economy)
Pandya overcame a challenging few years to help India win the World Cup final by bowling them out. In the decisive over, he took 3 for 20, including the hazardous David Miller. Also, it was a pleasant comeback to death batting form, as he made some significant contributions all throughout the competition. In a match against Bangladesh, he hit 50 off 27 balls when given more time at the crease.
Jasprit Bumrah
Player of the tournament
(7 games, 15 wickets – 4.17 economy)
What a bowler. He was declared the Player of the Tournament because he played nearly the whole tournament with nothing but brilliance. His economy rate reveals how defenseless the opposition players were against his genius, and most of the time it seemed as though he was bowling in a Test match. In the final, India’s last hope was for Bumrah to deliver 12 of the 30 balls that South Africa needed to score 30 runs off of. Bumrah performed well and aided his team in the World Cup.
Memorable Matches and Turning Points
India survived the match’s early difficulties.
One of the team’s best batsmen, Virat Kohli, was crucial to India’s final victory over South Africa. After opting to bat first, the Indian team was already having problems as they had only amassed 34 runs in the first five overs. This indicates that India had averaged just around one run per ball in the first quarter of their batting innings.
However, Kohli was able to raise that average. India scored 176-7 at the end of their batting innings, which meant they had scored 176 runs off of 120 balls and seven men had been removed.
When South Africa batted, they appeared serious; Heinrich Klaasen helped them score 147 runs in 15 overs. However, the side began to struggle after he was out. Before Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah threw a ball that ended in an out, Marco Jansen had only scored two runs.
Bumrah’s hard-to-hit bowling style won him the title of “Player of the Tournament.”
Strategies and Leadership: The Role of the Coach and Captain
Analyse the leadership style and strategies employed by the captain and coach and Discuss key tactical decisions made during the tournament that contributed to India’s success.
Fan Reactions and Celebrations
Witnessing the Indian cricket team’s triumph parade after winning the T20 World Cup 2024 drew thousands of spectators to Mumbai. The Indian cricket team arrived in Mumbai, where hundreds of supporters came to celebrate the team’s victory in the T20 World Cup, it was shown in a series of photos shared by the Indian Cricket Council (ICC) on Instagram.
The Impact on Indian Cricket and Future Prospects
Not only did India’s triumph over South Africa in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 spark widespread celebrations, but it also signalled a dramatic change in the advertising industry.
Matches were played throughout the US and the West Indies during the month-long competition, which featured 20 teams and ended on June 29. According to a survey shared exclusively with Mint, advertisers strongly targeted the India matches, which resulted in a 38% boost in ad volumes compared to the 2022 edition in Australia. According to TAM Sports, a branch of TAM Media Research, a partnership between AC Nielsen and Kantar IMRB, ads for Indian matches increased by 90%, indicating a high level of spectator interest.
There was a notable turnover of brands for the 2024 World Cup; just one firm remained consistent from the previous editions. Notably, traditional industries like food (biscuits), pan masala, and cars supplanted prominent categories like Thums Up and Apple in the top five.
Conclusion: The Legacy of India’s World Cup Win
India’s 2024 T20 World Cup victory over South Africa marked the end of a lengthy trophy drought, showcasing their dominance in cricket. Key performances, strategic leadership, and enthusiastic fan support highlighted their journey. This win also significantly boosted ad volumes and brand turnover, reflecting cricket’s immense popularity in India.
FAQs
How many World Cups has India won?
As of now, India has won the Cricket World Cup thrice: in 1983, 2011, and 2024.
Who was the captain during India’s World Cup victory?
It was Rohit Sharma. In Indian cricket history, Rohit Sharma became the second skipper to win the ICC T20 World Cup championship.
Which player scored the most runs for India in the tournament?
South African and Indian players scored the most runs in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Regarding the players from India and South Africa who have scored the most runs in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Rohit Sharma of India leads the field with 248 runs in six games, while Q de Kock of South Africa has scored 204 runs in eight games.
What were the key turning points in India’s World Cup journey?
A thrilling final match against South Africa resulted from pivotal bowlers like Jasprit Bumrah and powerful batting from players like Virat Kohli and Axar Patel turning the tide on key occasions.
