In 2024, the Indian cricket team finally ended their 11-year drought by winning the T20 World Cup. Led by Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the star-studded team defeated South Africa by seven runs in a thrilling final match at Kensington Oval in Barbados. India posted a total of 176 for 7 in 20 overs after winning the toss and choosing to bat first.
The victory earned India a prize money of $2.45 million (INR 20.42 crore approx) from the International Cricket Council (ICC), while runners-up South Africa received $1.28 million (INR 10.67 crore approx). England and Afghanistan, the losing semi-finalists, each received $787,500 (INR 6.56 crore approx) for their performances in the tournament.
During the final match, when South African batsman Heinrich Klaasen was aggressively scoring runs against the Indian spinners, it seemed that India might fall short of victory. However, with a strong team effort and crucial contributions from players like Hardik Pandya, India managed to defend their total and secure their first ICC trophy since 2013. This victory also marked India’s first T20 World Cup title in the post-IPL era.
The celebrations were evident amongst the Indian team members, especially stars like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, who played key roles in the team’s success. The win also served as a fitting farewell to head coach Rahul Dravid. Kohli’s 76 off 59 balls and Axar Patel’s 47 off 31 balls were instrumental in helping India set the highest total in a T20 World Cup final
