June 30, 2012, Bridgetown, Barbados Following India’s thrilling seven-run victory over South Africa at the Kensington Oval to win the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup, thoughts immediately turned to statements made by BCCI Secretary Jay Shah back in February of this year.
“Everyone was anticipating my remarks over the World Cup. Despite winning ten straight games, India did not win the World Cup in 2023, but we did win hearts. Before the third India-England Test match took place in February, Shah had declared that India would win the Twenty20 World Cup in Barbados in 2024, under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma. This was before to the renaming of SCA Stadium in Rajkot as the Niranjan Shah Stadium.
Shah saw his predictions come to pass on Saturday when Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah led India to yet another incredible comeback, this time defeating their opponents by seven wickets and ending an 11-year trophy drought in the process. They also won their second Men’s T20 World Cup.
During the scenes of celebration and excitement that followed the title victory, former India head coach Ravi Shastri referred to Shah as “Nostradamus” and mentioned how his forecast from Rajkot in February had come true in Barbados.
Entering the game, an undefeated India secured their second victory in the shortest format with to the efforts of Hardik Pandya (3-20) and Jasprit Bumrah (2-18). With a 59-ball 76 to cap off his poor run, talisman batsman Virat Kohli came up big to help India record a challenging 176/7, the highest total in a Men’s T20 World Cup final.
India passed the 175-run threshold with 42 runs off the final three overs thanks to his 72-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Axar Patel, who made 47 off 31 balls, and his 57-run partnership with Shivam Dube, who hit a 16-ball 27.
In response, South Africa was clearly visible in their pursuit of the total. However, India’s victory to end an 11-year worldwide trophy drought was fueled by Hardik’s dismissal of Heinrich Klaasen, which allowed them to restrict South Africa to 169/8.
India bid head coach Rahul Dravid a triumphant farewell and joined the West Indies and England as two-time Men’s T20 World Cup winners. Having won the World Cup trophy and Player of the Match in the championship match, it also meant that Virat Kohli concluded his career as an Indian T20I player on a high note.
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