The memories of the T20 World Cup 2024 final are still vivid in the minds of cricket fans worldwide. From Suryakumar Yadav's spectacular catch to the exceptional bowling performance by the pacers in the crucial over, and Virat Kohli's determined half-century, there were numerous factors that contributed to India's victory over South Africa in the title-deciding match.
However, Rohit Sharma has recently disclosed another significant factor that played a pivotal role in India's triumph. During his appearance on Kapil Sharma's comedy show, Rohit Sharma shared that wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant devised a brilliant strategy to slow down the game's pace in the middle overs. This strategic move helped India disrupt South Africa's momentum, ultimately turning the tide in India's favor.
"When South Africa needed 30 runs off 30 balls, just before that, there was a small break. Pant used his intelligence to pause the game - he had a knee injury, so he had his knee taped, which helped slow down the game - because the game was fast-paced, and at that moment, all a batter wants is the ball to be bowled quickly. But we had to break the rhythm. As I was setting the field and talking to bowlers, suddenly I saw Pant fall on the ground. The physiotherapist had arrived and was taping his knee. Klassen was waiting for the match to start again. I am not saying it's the only reason, but it could be one of them - Pant Sahab used his smarts and things worked out in our favour," he said on the show.
Following the break, Hardik Pandya successfully dismissed the formidable Heinrich Klaasen, allowing the Indian team to regain control of the match. Despite David Miller posing a threat to the team's victory, the pressure mounted on South Africa in the final 2-3 overs, ultimately leading to India seizing the opportunity and capitalizing on the situation.
"That is what happened. Hardik dismissed Klaasen in that over, and from then onwards, pressure started to build on South Africa. Then all the boys gathered and started to sledge their batters, details of which I can't disclose here, but it was essential because we had to win at any cost. To win that, we were willing to take a few fines. That is why I told the boys to say whatever they felt like; we would handle the umpires and referees later," he explained.
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