June 29, 2024, has been marked as one of the most important days in Indian cricket. This day, the Indian cricket team ended its long wait for an ICC title and brought home the T20 World Cup with an unbelievable win in the final against South Africa.
With all the odds stacked against them, Rohit Sharma's men snatched the win from the jaws of defeat to win a World Cup after 13 years. They came inches close to a World title on so many occasions but a crown kept eluding the cricket-loving nation.
They were almost denied a title yet again as Heinrich Klaasen was going berserk in the final in Barbados. With 30 needed from the final 30 balls and six wickets in hand, the chasing team should win the match 99 out of 100 times. But that one occasion probably came when the Indians needed it the most - on the day of the final where one takes it all.
India captain Rohit Sharma has revealed a smart tactic played by wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant at the time when the Men in Blue needed magic and the prayers were probably running out. Klaasen ad smashed Axar Patel for 24 runs in an over and the Men in Blue were left with only 30 runs to defend in the final 30 balls. During the Great Indian Kapil Show on Netflix, Rohit revealed how Pant tried slowing the game and breaking the momentum of the on-field Proteas batters - Klaasen and David Miller.
"South Africa needed 30 runs off 30 balls - there was a small break, Pant used his intelligence to pause the game - he had a knee injury, so he had his knee taped which helped slow down the game - because the game was fast-paced, at that moment the batter want the ball to be bowled quickly - we had to break the rhythm, so I was setting the field & talking to bowlers, suddenly saw Pant fallen, Physiotherapist had arrived and was taping his knee & game slowed down and Klassen was waiting for the match to start again, I am not saying it's the only reason but it could be one of them - Pant sahab used his smarts & things worked out in our favour," Rohit said on the Great Indian Kapil Show.
While Pant might have slowed the game, the magic still needed to happen. Tall stood Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah. The two bowlers brought India back into the game out of nowhere. After the 24-run over from Patel, Bumrah bowled a mingy over for four runs, before Hardik struck on the first ball in the next over, getting then big fish Klaasen caught behind with a delivery well outside off.
With Miller still out there and Marco Jansen joining him, the game still was in South Africa's favour. But economical overs from Hardik, Bumrah and then Arshdeep Singh helped the Men in Blue achieve immortality.
