India's 2024 T20 World Cup: Rohit Sharma's Last Dance and the Final Against South Africa

India won the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and United States, defeating South Africa by 7 runs in the final in Barbados on June 29, 2024. The victory ended India's 11-year ICC title drought since the 2013 Champions Trophy under MS Dhoni. It also brought the curtain down on the T20 international careers of captain Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, both of whom announced retirement from the format after the final.

The Final Against South Africa

South Africa had been unbeaten themselves through the tournament and appeared to be on course for their first global ICC title when they needed 16 from the final over with 3 wickets in hand. Jasprit Bumrah, who had bowled throughout the tournament with exceptional economy, was not available for the final over. Hardik Pandya delivered the over, dismissing David Miller (who had been batting brilliantly) with a brilliant catch by Suryakumar Yadav near the boundary. South Africa fell 7 short. Virat Kohli scored 76 from 59 balls as India's top score — his first major innings in a T20 final and a vindication after several quiet tournaments.

Tournament Highlights

• India went through the tournament unbeaten — the first team to win a T20 World Cup without losing any match since West Indies in 2016.
• Jasprit Bumrah won Player of the Tournament for an extraordinary bowling campaign: 15 wickets at 8.26, consistently the most economical bowler in the competition.
• The co-hosting in the USA introduced cricket to new markets: matches at the newly built Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York drew large crowds, and India vs Pakistan in New York generated record digital viewership.