The month-long cricket yajna is coming to an end. On June 2, the curtain rose on the ninth T20 World Cup. This year’s matches are played in America and the Caribbean Islands. Today (Saturday) the curtain will come down on the title fight. The two unbeaten teams of the tournament, South Africa and India, will meet in the blockbuster final.
The Proteas want to compete in the final of the ICC World Cup event for the first time. South Africa aims to win the first World Cup trophy. On the other hand, India, who won the inaugural World Cup in 2007, are eyeing a second title. The match will start at 8:30 pm Bangladesh time in Bridgetown, Barbados.
South Africa entered the semi-finals of the World Cup by winning 4 matches in the group stage and 3 matches in the Super Eight. Although they were not very relieved. The team known as ‘Chokers’ had to leave the World Cup semi-finals a total of seven times in ODI and T20. In the first semi-final of the tournament, they were one step away from the first World Cup title after defeating Afghanistan by 9 wickets due to the extraordinary skill of the bowlers.
Like South Africa, India is also an unbeaten team in this World Cup. However, Team India has one win less in the group and Super Eight stages. Because India’s match against Canada in the group stage was washed away by rain. So South Africa have won 8 matches and India 7 matches so far in this World Cup. Which is the highest match winning record in the history of these two teams in one tournament.
India has reached the T20 World Cup final for the third time. The team from the subcontinent had previously played in the World Cup finals in 2007 and 2014. Despite winning the first World Cup title in 2007, India lost in the 2014 final. Team India lost to Sri Lanka by 6 wickets in the 2014 World Cup held in Bangladesh. And in the first World Cup in South Africa, India won the championship by defeating Pakistan by 5 runs in a tense and exciting final.
Thoughts of two captains
The curse of the semi-finals has been lifted. Which gives South Africa extra confidence ahead of the final. Team captain Aiden Markram said about the final, ‘Getting a chance to play in the final is a huge achievement. When we came for the World Cup, we didn’t just come to play in the final. We came to win the final like all the other teams.’ He also said, ‘This team has been playing together for a long time in two white ball formats. It’s great to be in the final. We believe we can fight any team in the world and win the title. It feels good to have that opportunity now.’
Meanwhile, India wants to bring back the happy memories of 2007 in the ninth edition of the World Cup. Team captain Rohit Sharma said, ‘We have a golden opportunity to bring back the happy memories of 2007. Everyone in the team is looking forward to winning the T20 World Cup trophy after 17 years. I was in the team of that event. I hope we can enjoy the celebration of winning the title again.’
About the final against South Africa, Rohit said, ‘As a team we have to be very calm. Because, if the head is cool and not stressed, the right decision can be taken. There is no other way to win the final but to play good cricket. We are playing aggressive cricket now. I want to play the same plan in the final.’
Despite reaching the final, Rohit once again had to hear questions about the form of the team’s best batsman Virat Kohli. But India is not worried about Kohli’s form. Rohit said, ‘We all know what kind of cricketer Kohli is. Bad times come in everyone’s career. Bad times passed again. He is looking for runs. He will also open in the final. We hope Kohli’s bat will do the talking in the final.
Africa-India in statistics
India and South Africa have met 26 times in T20 so far. Among them, India won 14 and South Africa won 11 matches. 1 match abandoned. The two teams have met 6 times in T20 World Cup. India is ahead in terms of victory in this stage as well. India won 4 as against South Africa’s 2 wins. India won the World Cup in 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2014 and South Africa in 2009 and 2022 respectively.
Squad of two teams
Team India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Hardik Pandya, Yashshwi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Sanju Samson, Shivam Dubey, Ravindra Jadeja, Akshar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammad Siraj .
South African team : Aiden Markram (captain), Otnil Bartman, Gerald Coetzee, Quinton de Kock, Bjorn Fortune, Reza Hendricks, Marco Janssen, Heinrich Klaasen, Keshav Maharaj, David Miller, Enrich Norkia, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tabraiz Shamsi, Tristan Stubbs.
Business Bangladesh/AK