The heavens are shaken. The bells are ringing. A nation of over 1 billion stayed awake, shed tears and kept the belief that saw INDIA BEAT SOUTH AFRICA BY 7 RUNS to end a 17-year wait to bring the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Trophy home. 

India won the toss and opted to bat first, as we did in 2007. Virat Kohli (76), Axar Patel (47), and Shivam Dube (27) architected the batting innings that saw the Men in Blue post 176/7 — the highest total in a T20 World Cup Final.

South Africa, meanwhile, didn’t go down without a fight. Quinton de Kock (39) and Tristan Stubbs (31) provided the impetus, and Heinrich Klaasen (52) got the Proteas almost to the finish line. However, Hardik Pandya (3/20) exploded in the death overs and won the game for himself, the team and the country behind him.

Here is how history was re-written by Rohit Sharma’s ‘Invincibles’.

Troubling powerplay

The pitch looked promising, and there were early signs of India getting up and running with the bat. However, Keshav Maharaj and Kagiso Rabada came in and sounded a surprise when they ripped into the top order. The Men in Blue finished the powerplay with a score of 45/3.

Axar-Virat resuscitate the batting

The left-right hand combination of Axar Patel and Virat Kohli stitched a crucial 72-run partnership to get India past the 100-run mark in the 14th over. Axar’s fighting cameo of 47 in 31 balls would meet an unfortunate end with a run-out.

176 - the highest total in a T20 World Cup final

Virat’s 76 and a late injection of runs from Shivam Dube (16-ball 27) catapulted India to 176/7 in their 20 overs. This score would go down as the highest 1st innings in a T20 World Cup final, and Rohit’s men would step out to defend wearing their hearts on their sleeves.

BOOM, Arshdeep make early in-roads

Just as they have done through this campaign, Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh struck early into the Proteas’ run chase. While Bumrah removed Reeza Hendricks with a delicious in-swinger crashing into the latter’s stumps, Arshdeep took down SA skipper Aiden Markram with assistance.

De Kock and Klassen dish out scare

Quinton de Kock (39) and Tristan Stubbs (31) laid out the blueprint for South Africa to maximise their chase of 176 in the middle overs, while Heinrich Klaasen (52) put his foot on the peddle to take the chase to 30 required in 30 balls.

Hardik ‘Clutch’ Pandya wins it for India

Playing in his 100th game in the colours of Blue for India, Hardik Pandya saved the best performance for the biggest stage of his T20I career. He stepped forward to bowl in the death overs and scalped three game-changing wickets.

Overs 16.1 - Heinrich Klaasen

Overs 19.1 - David Miller

Overs 19.5 - Kagiso Rabada 

This victory was a testament to the team’s unity, commitment, and belief in winning their first ICC trophy in 11 years, their first World Cup title in 13 years, their first T20 World Cup crown in 17 years and being the first team to win the T20 World Cup UNBEATEN throughout the tournament.

Brief scores: India 176/7 (Virat Kohli 76, Axar Patel 47; Keshav Maharaj 2/23, Anrich Nortje 2/26) BEAT South Africa 169/8 (Heinrich Klaasen 52; Hardik Pandya 3/20, Jasprit Bumrah 2/18, Arshdeep Singh 2/20) BY SEVEN RUNS.