Virat Kohli - News reports

Virat Kohli, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and Axar Patel all played crucial roles in India vs South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 final

Virat Kohli was the star of India’s innings, scoring a brilliant 76 off 59 balls. After India lost three quick wickets in the powerplay, Kohli steadied the innings and forged crucial partnerships with Axar Patel (47 off 31 balls) and Shivam Dube (27 off 15 balls) to propel India to a competitive 176/7. Kohli’s experience and class shone through as he timed the ball beautifully and rotated the strike effectively. His innings were a testament to his ability to perform on the biggest stage.

In a fitting farewell to his T20 international career, Virat Kohli led India to a thrilling victory over South Africa in the 2024 T20 World Cup final. The talismanic batter announced his retirement from the shortest format immediately after the match, capping off an illustrious T20l journey with a Player of the Match performance.

The 35-year-old, who was part of India’s 2007 T20 World Cup-winning squad, finally ended the team’s 11-year drought in the global tournament. His leadership and inspirational performances throughout the tournament were instrumental in India’s triumph.

In the post-match presentation, a visibly emotional Kohli announced his retirement from T20 internationals, stating that it was the “perfect time” to bid farewell to the format. He expressed his gratitude to his teammates, the support staff, and the Indian fans for their unwavering support over the years.

Hardik Pandya was the hero with the ball in the death overs. With South Africa needing 15 runs off the final over, Pandya held his nerve and delivered a superb over, conceding just 7 runs and taking the crucial wicket of David Miller. His ability to execute his yorkers and slower deliveries under immense pressure was crucial in restricting South Africa’s chase.

Jasprit Bumrah’s brilliant bowling performance was a key factor in India’s thrilling 7-run victory over South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 final

Jasprit Bumrah was once again India’s spearhead, finishing with figures of 2/18 in his 4 overs. He struck early to dismiss Reeza Hendricks and then returned in the death overs to dismiss Tristan Stubbs and Keshav Maharaj. Bumrah’s accuracy, variations, and ability to bowl at the death were instrumental in keeping South Africa’s powerful batting lineup in check.

Bumrah’s consistent performance throughout the tournament, where he took 15 wickets at an average of 8.27 and an economy of just 4.17 earned him the Player of the Tournament award. His ability to remain clear and calm under pressure was crucial to his dominant displays.

In the final, Bumrah’s two early wickets put India in control, and his economical spell in the death overs, alongside Hardik Pandya’s heroics, ensured that South Africa fell short of the target despite a late fightback. Bumrah’s value to the team was immeasurable, and his performance on the big stage was a testament to his class and skill.

Axar Patel played a crucial all-round role for India. With the bat, he scored a valuable 47 off 31 balls, forging a 72-run partnership with Kohli to help India post a challenging total. With the ball, Axar bowled economically, conceding just 29 runs in his 4 overs and picking up the important wicket of Aiden Markram. His all-round performance was a major factor in India’s victory.

The match was a closely contested affair, with both teams showcasing their skills and determination. India’s ability to bounce back from the early setbacks and post a competitive total, coupled with their disciplined bowling and fielding, ultimately proved to be the difference. Kohli, Pandya, Bumrah, and Axar’s performances were the cornerstones of India’s triumph, as they ended their ICC trophy drought and clinched their second T20 World Cup title.

The victory was especially sweet for India, as they had not won an ICC tournament since the 2013 Champions Trophy. The team’s resilience and the individual brilliance of its key players ensured that the long wait for an ICC title finally came to an end. This triumph will undoubtedly be etched in the memories of Indian cricket fans for years to come.

India vs England: India Exacts Revenge, Defeats England to Reach T20 World Cup Final

In a highly anticipated rematch of the 2022 T2O World Cup semifinal, India defeated England by 5 wickets to advance to the final of the 2024 tournament. Opting to bowl first, India’s bowlers out in a clinical performance to restrict England to 153/7, before Rohit Sharma’s 57 and a late flourish from Hardik Pandya (42* off 20) helped India chase down the target with 2 balls to spare. India vs England T20 World Cup Semifinal.

The match began with England captain Jos Buttler winning the toss and electing to bat first. However, India’s bowlers immediately put the pressure on, with Jaspirt Bumrah (37) and Harry Brook (41) tired to rebuild the innings, but tight bowling from Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel kept the run rate in check.

India Exacts Revenge, Defeats England to Reach T20 World Cup Final (image is taken from on x)

It was left to Sam Curra (37* off 24) to provide the late impetus, helping England post a competitive 153/7. In response, India got off to a solid start, with Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal putting on 68 for the opening wicket. Rohit continued his fine form, scoring 57 off 41 balls, but England fought back with the wickets of Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav to leave India at 114/4 in the 16th over.

However, Hardik Pandya’s explosive innings of 42* off just 20 balls, including 4 sixes, ensured India reached the target with 2 balls to spare. The all-rounder’s heroics helped India exact revenge for their 10-wicket defeat against England in the 2022 semifinal.

Speaking after the match, India captain Rohit Sharma praised his team’s bowling effort and the composure shown by Hardik Pandya in the death overs. “I thought our bowlers did an excellent job to restrict them to 153, which was a par score on this pitch. Hardik then played a fantastic knock to take us over the line. This is a sweet victory, especially after what happened in 2022,” he said.

England captain Jos Buttler rued his team’s inability to capitalize on the strong start provided by Moeen Ali and Harry Brook. “We got off to a decent start, but couldn’t kick on. Credit to India’s bowlers for keeping us in check. In the end, Hardik’s innings proved to be the difference,” he said

The victory sets up a mouthwatering final between India and South Africa, who earlier defeated Afghanistan in the first semifinal. India will be aiming to win their second T20 World Cup title, while South Africa will be seeking their first. The final will be played at the National Stadium in Georgetown, Guyana on June 30th.

Bowling Performance in the Match

India’s bowlers put in a clinical performance to restrict England to 153/7 in their 20 overs.
Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh struck early to reduce Eangland to 27/3 in the Powerplay.
Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel Bowled tightly to keep the run rate in check as Moeen Ali and Harry Brook tried to rebuild the innings.
Sam Curran’s unbeaten 37 off 24 balls provided the late impetus to help England post a competitive total.
For India, Axar Patel was the standout bowler with figures of 318, while Kuldeep Yadav also impressed with 3/25.
Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya also chipped in with crucial wickets to ensure England never got back into the game.
Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya also chipped in with crucial wickets to ensure England never got back into the game. ( image is taken from on X)

Bowlers take each Wicket

India’s Bowler

Jasprit Bumrah took 2 wikctes
Axar Patel was the standout bowler, taking 3/18 wickets
Kuldeep Yadav also impressed, taking 3/25 wickets
Hardik Pandya chipped in with crucial wickets as well

England Bowlers

Sam Curran Scored an unbeaten 37 off 24 balls to provide the late impetus for England’s innings of 153/7
England fought back with the wickets of Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav to leave Inda at 114/4 in the 16th over.

So while in the Match ‘India vs England’ exact tallies for England’s bowlers are not given, the search results indicate they were able to pick up key wickets at important junctures, even though they were ultimately unable to defend their total.

India vs Ireland: Virat Kohli fails as a Opener

Virat Kohli, the talismanic Indian batsman, had a forgettable outing in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 opener against Ireland on Wednesday. Kohli, known for his exceptional batting prowess, managed to score only one run from five balls, a rare failure in his illustrious career. Despite this poor show, legendary India batter Sunil Gavaskar remains unfazed and has thrown a “Pakistan challenge” at Kohli, urging him to make up for the lost opportunity against the Irish team by scoring double the runs against Pakistan in the next match.

Gavaskar’s confidence in Kohli’s ability to bounce back is rooted in the fact that great players like Kohli, Steve Smith, Babar Azam, and Joe Root are known to respond strongly after a poor performance. They tend to score double the runs in the next match to make up for the lost opportunity. Gavaskar believes that Kohli, being a great batsman, would also want to do the same and score double the runs against Pakistan.

The “Pakistan challenge” is a testament to Gavskar’s faith in Kohli’s abilities and his understanding of the mental toughness required to excel in high-pressure situations. Kohli’s failure against Ireland was a rare occurrence, given his impressive average of 81.5 in the T20 World Cup. However, Gavaskar is not concerned about this one-off failure and instead sees it as an opportunity for Kohli to prove himself against a stronger opponent like Pakistan.

The challenge from Gavaskar is not only a reflection of his confidence in Kohli but also a reminder of the importance of mental resilience in cricket. Great players like Kohli are known to have the ability to bounce back from setbacks and perform under pressure. The “Pakistan Challenge” is a way for Gavaskar to motivate Kohli to rise to their occasion and prove his mettle against a formidable opponent.

The match against Pakistan will be a significant test for Kohli, as it will require him to adapt to the conditions and the opposition’s bowling attack. Pakistan has a strong bowling lineup, and Kohli will need to be at his best to score big against them. The challenge from Gavaskar will undoubtedly serve as a motivator for Kohli, pushing him to perform better and make up for his poor show against Ireland.

In conclusion, Sunil Gavaskar’s ‘Pakistan challenge’ to Virat Kohli is a testament to his faith in the batsman’s abilities and his understanding of the mental toughness required to excel in cricket. The challenge is a reminder of the importance of mental resilience and the ability to bounce back from setbacks. Kohli’s response to the challenge will be closely watched, and it will be interesting to see how he performs against Pakistan in the next match.