India’s success in this tournament cemented their status as one of the strongest forces in contemporary cricket. Their victory can be attributed to the immense depth of talent they possess and their unwavering determination to win.
However, it would be remiss to overlook the vital contributions of the other participating teams, whose exceptional performances raised the level of cricket throughout the tournament and made it a truly memorable event.
Here are some key moments from the past few weeks to remember:
1) USA Shock Pakistan
The United States, co-hosting the tournament with the West Indies for the first time, caused a stir by defeating former champions Pakistan in a Super Over in Dallas earlier in the week. The match was tied after USA hit a boundary off the last ball of the innings, but the co-hosts emerged victorious in a historic upset at the Grand Prairie Stadium.
2) India won against arch-rivals Pakistan on a difficult pitch
India faced Pakistan on a challenging New York pitch that favoured fast bowlers. Batting first after losing the toss, India were bowled out for 119 in 19 overs. Chasing the target, Pakistan seemed in control, but they crumbled under pressure. Jasprit Bumrahled by exceptional death bowling of , suffered a six-run defeat and are likely to be eliminated from the group-stage after consecutive defeats. Rohit SharmaThe decision to save Bumrah’s overs for the end proved crucial.
3) India-USA group game
The match between India and USA was a topic of discussion on the difficult pitch of Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. America was bowled out for 110 runs thanks to Arshdeep Singh’s career best T20 International performance of 4/9. India’s innings was unstable in the presence of Rohit Sharma. Virat KohliAnd Rishabh Pant got out early. However, Suryakumar Yadav’s patient half-century got them the win.
4) Afghanistan Entering the semi-finals for the first time
Afghanistan made history by reaching the World Cup semi-finals for the first time by beating Bangladesh by eight runs in a tense, low-scoring encounter in St Vincent. The highlight of their campaign was a remarkable win over powerhouse Australia in the second-to-last Super Eight match. Rashid Khan’s performance prevented Australia from becoming a major hurdle for other teams.
6) Rohit batted brilliantly against Australia
Indian captain Rohit Sharma played a stormy innings of 92 runs in 41 balls against the Australian bowlers, which boosted the team’s morale and the Indian team entered the semi-finals with a spectacular victory. After the defeat, Mitchell Marsh’s team had to depend on the result of the Afghanistan-Bangladesh match, which ultimately did not go in their favor.
5) Afghanistan team all out for 56 runs against South Africa
Afghanistan’s campaign in the tournament ended in disappointment as they were bowled out for just 56 against South Africa’s strong fast bowling attack in the semi-finals.
6) Kuldeep-Axar pair troubled England
India’s spin wizards Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel spun a web around the English batsmen with their exceptional bowling to set the stage for a sensational win over the defending champions and seal India’s place in their third ICC tournament final in the last year.
7) Kohli finally manages to score runs
Virat Kohli, who had been struggling to score runs and facing questions over his place in the team, found his rhythm against a strong bowling attack in the decisive final. His crucial 76-run knock off 59 balls helped India recover from a difficult situation and post a score that their bowlers could defend.
8) Surya takes a brilliant catch
Kohli’s innings was crucial, but Suryakumar’s brilliant catch sealed the match for India. With 16 runs needed in the last over, David Miller hit a wide full toss. hardik pandyaBut Suryakumar caught the ball by balancing himself on the boundary rope, leaving it as he crossed the boundary and then returning to take a brilliant catch that will be remembered along with Kapil Dev in 1983 and Jonty Rhodes in 1996.
9) Kohli and Rohit retire from T20I
Shortly after the historic win, captain Rohit Sharma, along with his old teammate Virat Kohli, announced their retirement from international T20 matches, bringing an end to two illustrious careers that had been running parallel for the last 15 years. The cricket world paid tribute to both legends amid the celebrations of India’s title win, writing pages dedicated to their achievements.
