South Africa choke, again

by Rex Clementine

South Africa had the World Cup in the bag. But like they have done on so many occasions, they gifted away the trophy to the opponent with some mindless cricket in Barbados on Saturday as India went on to win their first World Cup in 13 years.

Chasing a target of 177, South Africa needed 54 off 36 balls. Then Heinrich Klaasen smashed Axar Patel for two fours and two sixes as the 15th over produced 24 runs bringing down the equation to 30 from 30 balls.

Klassen had made the fastest half-century in T-20 World Cup finals getting there in 23 balls.

Run a ball, South Africa should have cruised to the target to claim their first World Cup victory. But South Africa did South Africa things. They choked. India went on to win the title by seven runs. Their first World Cup win since beating Sri Lanka in the 2011 World Cup in Bombay.

India knew things were getting out of their hands. Rishabh Pant wanted medical assistance but it may have been a ploy to take the momentum away from South Africa. Klassen was in beat mode at that stage.

Immediately after that Klassen departed nicking one chasing a wide delivery from Hardik Pandya. He made 52 in 27 balls with five sixes and two fours.

With David Millier out in in the middle, this was still South Africa’s game. But Rohit Sharma used his resources spectacularly well. The Indian captain usually keeps Jasprit Bumrah to bowl the death overs. But with the game slipping away from him, he brought on Bumrah for the 16th over and he conceded just four runs keeping India in the game. The 18th over bowled by Bumrah went for just two runs and accounted for Marco Jansen. But still, South Africa were going to cruise in the final many thought.

South Africa now needed 20 in the last two overs.

Arshdeep Singh bowled a superb penultimate over and gave away just four runs and South Africa now needed 16 off the last over.

Suryakumar Yadav then pulled off a stunning catch in the first ball of the last over to see the back of David Miller and India went on to secure a famous come from behind win.Virat Kohli was named Man of the Match for his 76 while Jasprit Bumrah was Player of the Series for his 15 wickets in the tournament.