A record-setting march that blended grit, skill, and unyielding pride
August in India has always been a time for reflection - a month when the nation looks back at the battles fought, the victories earned, and the milestones that have shaped its spirit. In this season of remembrance and pride, we revisit one of the country's most glorious sporting triumphs.
In 2024, the Rohit Sharma-led Indian cricket team didn’t just win the T20 World Cup - they conquered it without tasting defeat, playing nine matches, winning eight, and having one washed out by rain. It was the first time in the tournament's history that a champion had gone unbeaten, and it marked India's second T20 World Cup trophy, arriving 17 years after their fairytale victory in 2007.
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India started in Group A, easily defeating Ireland, PAK, and co-host USA before rain prevented a match against Canada in Florida. The statistics showed their dominance: India's net run rate during the group stage was comfortably the best in their pool, and they finished top of the table without needing a calculator to stay ahead.
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The Super Eight stage tested consistency, and India excelled. Afghanistan was defeated by 47 runs, Bangladesh by 50, and Australia - the reigning ODI champions - by 24 runs.
By the time the semi-final arrived, India had won seven consecutive matches (excluding the washout), equaling the best streaks in tournament history.
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The semi-final evoked a haunting memory - England had beaten India convincingly by 10 wickets at the same stage in 2022. This time, the roles were reversed. India set a formidable total before dismissing England, winning by 68 runs and securing their place in the final against another undefeated side, South Africa.
Barbados shimmered under the Caribbean sun as Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat. A tense start at 34-3 had Indian hearts in mouths, but Virat Kohli and Axar Patel built a 72-run stand, with Axar’s promotion to No. 5 proving a tactical masterstroke. Kohli’s 76 off 59 balls and a late cameo from Shivam Dube propelled India to 176 - the highest total ever in a T20 World Cup final.
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Jasprit Bumrah struck in the first over, Arshdeep Singh followed in the second, and South Africa were wobbling at 12-2. Yet, Heinrich Klaasen’s blistering 23-ball fifty brought the equation down to just 30 runs needed from the last five overs — normally a winning position. But then came Bumrah’s miserly 16th over, conceding only four runs, followed by Hardik Pandya’s dismissal of Klaasen.
When Suryakumar Yadav pulled off a gravity-defying relay catch to dismiss David Miller in the final over, India’s hold on the trophy tightened. South Africa finished seven runs short, and India’s unbeaten campaign was sealed in style.
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This was the third time a team defended a total in a T20 World Cup final, and India’s 176 is now the highest final score in history. Rohit Sharma, aged 37, became the oldest captain to win a men’s T20 World Cup, and his career T20 final record now stands at 8-0.
Virat Kohli finished his T20I career as the top run-scorer in T20 World Cups, with eight Player-of-the-Match awards in the tournament’s history — no other player has more than five.
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The triumph also marked the end of a farewell chapter. Both Kohli and Rohit announced their retirements from T20Is, passing the torch to the next generation. For fans, the sight of Rahul Dravid being lifted by his players, Rohit on his knees in relief, and the tricolour waving across Kensington Oval became part of cricket’s emotional tapestry.
