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Saturday, June 29 was a day when the entire nation experienced a seesaw of emotions until, finally, the Rohit Sharma-led team cornered Glory.
The T20 World Cup India vs South Africa Final at Bridgetown was a day when history was made in many ways. It was the first time a team won an ICC tournament going undefeated.
And, once again, the time-tested cricket dictum of ‘catches win matches’ came true as Surya Kumar Yadav took a breathtaking catch in the final over that virtually won India the match and the Proteas left with the tag of chokers once again.
South Africa invited India to bat first after winning the match. India made 176/7, thanks to a sterling inning by Virat Kohli. Chasing this total, South Africa could manage 169/8.
Virat Kohli was declared the Man of the Match while Jasprit Bumrah emerged as the Man of the Series.
After the match, Virat Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma both declared their retirements from T20Is. It was deeply emotional for their millions of fans across the globe.
Later, veteran all-rounder Ajay Jadeja also announced his retirement from T20Is, marking the end of an era.
In his 125 T20Is, Virat Kohli scored 4,188 runs at an average of 48.69 with one century and 38 half-centuries at a strike rate of 137.04.
Rohit Sharma, in his 159 T20Is that he played, scored 4,231 runs at an average of 32.05 and a strike rate of 140.89, with five centuries and 32 half-centuries. No player has scored more centuries in T20Is than Virat.
Meanwhile, according to a report on espncricinfo.com, the BCCI will be awarding the T20 World Cup-winning India squad a bonus of INR 125 crore (USD 15 million approx.). Board secretary Jay Shah made the announcement in a post on X, a day after India won a thrilling final against South Africa by seven runs in Barbados.
“I am pleased to announce prize money of INR 125 Crores for Team India for winning the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024,” Shah posted. “The team has showcased exceptional talent, determination, and sportsmanship throughout the tournament. Congratulations to all the players, coaches, and support staff for this outstanding achievement!”
The espncricinfo.com report said that the ICC had already announced a cash prize of USD 2.45 million for the winners of this World Cup and an additional $31,154 for each match won (for every team), excluding the semi-finals and finals. The ICC’s cash prize is the highest in the history of the men’s T20 World Cup, a jump up of USD 850,000 from the USD 1.6 million England had won in 2022.
[With inputs from media reports]
Pictures sourced from Internet/CREIMAS
