After 17 years, India clinched their second T20 World Cup 2024 title on June 29. Led by Rohit Sharma, the Men in Blue won a thrilling final against South Africa by seven runs at Kensington Oval in Barbados. India won every single match they played in the tournament, defeating teams like Ireland, co-hosts USA, and arch-rivals Pakistan in the group stage. Their final league match against Canada was washed out due to rain, resulting in both teams sharing one point each.
In the Super 8s, they dominated Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Australia and reached the semi-finals with six points. The semi-final against England was highly anticipated as India wanted to avenge their 10-wicket loss in the semi-final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022. This time, they beat England by 68 runs to book their place in the final against South Africa.
With the tournament now over, let’s take a look at how Team India’s batsmen, all-rounders and bowlers have performed so far.
Captain Rohit Sharma performed brilliantly with the bat in the tournament. He led the team and gave India a quick start by tormenting even the most experienced bowlers in the powerplay. His batting led to 257 runs in just eight matches including three half-centuries and a commendable strike rate of 156.70.
Rohit continued his brilliant form, but his opening partner Virat Kohli had a slow start to his World Cup campaign, scoring only 75 runs in seven matches and struggling with his scoring rate. However, the team and management never lost faith in him and Kohli scored a brilliant match-winning 76 in the final, making his last T20 World Cup mark a glorious farewell.
Wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant scored 171 runs in eight matches and played a vital role when the top order faltered. Suryakumar Yadav supported Pant and scored 199 runs in eight matches including two half-centuries.
Among the team of all-rounders, vice-captain Hardik Pandya performed brilliantly with both bat and ball. After a challenging IPL season, he returned to the World Cup and scored 144 runs and took 11 wickets in eight matches. In the final, his wickets of Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller were crucial to India’s victory.
Axar Patel also performed well as a spin bowling all-rounder, scoring 92 runs and taking nine wickets in eight matches. His excellent performance of 3 wickets for 23 runs against England in the semi-finals and an innings of 47 runs in the final played an important role in India maintaining this excellent record.
Shivam Dube, another all-rounder, joins the team after a stellar IPL 2024 season. Known for his height, build and power to hit long boundaries, Dube added depth to India’s batting order. However, he had a disappointing T20 World Cup, scoring only 133 runs in eight matches. Despite limited T20I experience, his hard-hitting batting style looks promising for the future.
Ravindra Jadeja also faced challenges, struggling to make an impact with just one wicket in eight matches. Nevertheless, his fielding played a key role in restricting opponents throughout the tournament.
All-rounders contributed to India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign, but bowlers also played a key role. Jasprit Bumrah, with his excellent yorker and run-stopping ability, took 15 wickets in eight matches, with his best performance being 3/7 and an economy rate of 4.17. He consistently gave crucial breakthroughs when needed.
Similarly, Arshdeep Singh also performed brilliantly, often providing early blows and picking up 17 wickets in eight matches, making him the joint-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. Despite some challenges in restricting runs, he maintained an economy rate of 7.16 and had a best of 4/9, making him the only Indian bowler to take four wickets in the tournament.
Kuldeep Yadav, a vital part of India’s spin attack, took 10 wickets in five matches this season. As a master of spin and unpredictable googly, he effectively stopped opponents while maintaining an economy rate of 6.95. His exceptional performance of 3/19 against England played a key role in India reaching the final.
Another bowler who showed potential was Mohammed Siraj, who had a great start to his World Cup campaign by taking a wicket in the first match against Ireland. However, due to limited opportunities, Siraj did not play any matches after the initial group-stage matches, which limited his impact in the tournament to some extent.
India’s T20 World Cup 2024 campaign was a remarkable journey, marked by resilience and teamwork. With stellar performances from key players such as Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah, the team showcased both skill and determination. All-round contributions, especially at crucial moments, led India to victory, securing their second T20 World Cup title. The win not only highlighted the depth and talent within the team but also laid a strong foundation for future success in international cricket.
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