ICC T20 World Cup: India’s grand heist scripted by their pacemen

Heinrich Klaasen had just walloped Axar Patel for 24 runs in the 14th over. David Miller and Klaasen had hammered Kuldeep Yadev for 14 runs in the previous over. Two back-to-back overs had essentially turned the game on its head and South Africa was on a rampage after 15 overs.

 South Africa has been riding their luck all through this World Cup. Barring their first game against Sri Lanka and the semi final clash against Afghanistan, they were perilously close to defeat in almost every other game, but somehow found a way to overcome tight situations to notch 7 consecutive wins along the way. With just 30 runs needed off 30 balls, with 6 wickets in hand and with the set batters Klaasen and Miller at the crease, South Africa have almost a hand in the trophy now. Surely, they wouldn’t need luck this time?

 Or, is it? 

The game was almost out of India's reach, and they needed something magical to turn the tide. But then, magical moments do happen in big games. In the 1996 World Cup, West Indies needed just 30 runs off 36 balls with 6 wickets in hand against Australia in the semi final. Then, the Windies choked against the wiles of a crafty Shane Warne. South Africa had experienced it twice in semi finals; once in 1999 when Allan Donald was infamously run out in the final over when the scores were level against Australia, and then in 2015 when Dale Steyn couldn’t defend 10 runs off the last 4 balls against New Zealand, having been in a dominant position throughout the match.

 So, in a situation like this, who would Rohit Sharma turn to? Jasprit Bumrah, of course. He’s never been needed more. What followed was a squeeze of gigantic proportions that is sure to go down in cricket’s folklore.

 Bumrah’s 16th over was played out cautiously for 4 runs by Miller and Klassen. There was a slight stoppage to attend to the Indian keeper Pant and then, Hardik Panday’s first ball of the 17th over resulted in arguably the World Cup winning moment when Klaasen chased a wide delivery only to hand an edge to the wicket keeper. That little stoppage may have potentially disrupted South Africa’s momentum. Out of nowhere, India was back in the game.

 Then, the 3 Indian pacers put an absolute stranglehold on the South African batsmen, giving them no room whatsoever. Runs began to dry up completely and wickets began to fall as Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah just conceded 10 runs in the next 3 overs. 16 runs were needed in the last over when Suryakumar Yadev pulled off a catch for the ages to dismiss the dangerous Miller.

 The final 5 overs were nothing short of spectacular from the 3 Indian pacers. Pandya, Arshdeep and the masterly Jasprit Bumrah delivered for their captain when it really mattered. They kept their nerve at the end as India grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat. David Miller and the rest of the batsmen couldn't finish things off for South Africa.

 Previously, the Indian inning got off to a flier. Boundaries flew from the bats of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma as 23 runs came up in the first 8 balls of the Indian innings! Just when India was threatening to bat South Africa out of the game, the top order collapsed against some crafty spin of Keshav Maharaj. They got into a deeper hole when Kagiso Rabada dismissed the dashing Suryakumar Yadev, who has had tremendous success against South Africa in T20s in the past.

 If India had one worry it was the form of Virat Kohli. Their talisman in the previous T20 World Cups was really struggling with the bat, scoring just 75 runs in 7 innings in the tournament. Perhaps top-order aggression for the sake of the team’s cause may have resulted in his poor form. Kohli had been trying to bat out of his character by scoring quickly in view of India’s depth in the batting, but he was constantly failing.

 But in the final, Kohli had to make a calculation after those 3 quick wickets fell during the power play. The situation demanded that he ensure India finished with a competitive total. This made him switch to his familiar anchor role and hold the innings together. This is the hallmark of a great batsman. True, Kohli wasn’t in control for most of the innings, but he was able to switch gears when required. His 22 off 16 became a 40 ball 44, and a final flurry took him to 76 off 59. Kohli came back to form when his presence was most needed with a measured 76 in the final.

 However, it was Axar Patel who gave India’s innings impetus with a 31-ball 47 in a stand of 72 with the more circumspect Kohli. The move to promote the left-hander paid off in the end. With Shivam Dube making a quickfire 27 in 16 balls and Kohli eventually changing gears at the back end, India had a fighting total to defend. It was Virat Kohli's steady innings that saved India from a total collapse. But still, he could have been a hero or villain in the end. If the result went the other way, everyone would have questioned his approach, but now it will be celebrated as a masterly innings by one of cricket’s greats.

 India was expected to defend 176 with their spin attack as the wicket got drier. It seemed even more likely when South Africa slipped to 12 for 2 in the 3rd over. Kuldeep Yadev was exceptional throughout the tournament, but in the final, he was taken apart by South Africa’s big hitters. Axar Patel was taken to the cleaners as well. The 3-prong Indian spin attack was smashed for 106 runs off 9 overs for just 1 wicket as Heinrick Klaasen showcased his power-hitting skills against them. Rohit Sharma was unable to dictate the terms in the middle overs largely due to this. Quinton de Kock was playing the anchor and had a solid 58-run partnership with the young Tristan Stubbs, who blitzed 31 off 21 before Klaasen and Miller began their six-hitting spree. But when everything was at stake, India orchestrated a grand heist to achieve a remarkable win.

 Even the staunchest anti-Indian supporter would find it difficult to deny that India deserved to win the T20 World Cup. They had an invincible run to the trophy. They are mighty talented and skilled. They picked a team for the conditions. They kept their trust on the side, and it paid off in the end. Every player played his part. They had different heroes in different games.

 Just consider Hardik Pandya for example. It was he who removed Klaasen with that slow off-cutter, wide of the off stump to bring India back in the game. It was he who had to defend 16 runs in the final over against a dangerous David Miller. Everyone remembers how Pandya was crucified and villainized throughout the IPL. He was sobbing and in tears at the end. It was ironic that he had to finally do it for India after all what he had to go through in the recent past.

 And, just spare a thought for South Africa. They have been in 7 semi finals of various ICC World Cups previously and had lost all of them. After overcoming that semi-final barrier in this World Cup, they nearly pulled off what would have been the greatest victory in their cricket history. However, luck deserted them at the most important juncture. They may still be without a World Cup in their trophy cabinet, but South Africa can be enormously proud of their performance in this World Cup.

 A World Cup marred by unsuitable pitches, bad weather, poor scheduling and many uninteresting matches finally had a game truly worthy of a World Cup final.