“Gutted” and “hurt” after South Africa’s heartbreak in the T20 World Cup final, skipper Aiden Markram was aware that they could have won the game against India while hunting down 177, which they felt was a “chasable total”. South Africa stood so close to the trophy yet ended up so far. They had a sniff at lifting their World Cup trophy when the equation read 26 runs needed in the final four overs. With Heinrich Klaasen bossing the spinners and David Miller waiting to open his arms on the other end, victory seemed just moments away from South Africa’s grasp.

But the dynamics and the calculus of the game shifted when Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh and Jasprit Bumrah decided to bear the brunt of the power-hitting duo.

The game went down the wire, but India held their nerves and emerged victorious with a 7-run win, leaving South Africa in a position from which they will take some time to reflect on their campaign.

“Gutted for the time being. It’ll take some time for us to have a really good reflection on a really good campaign the group had. Obviously, for the time being, like I mentioned, it hurts quite a bit. Having said that, I’m incredibly proud of this group of players and everyone involved with the team. I feel they bowled well. Don’t think there was a whole lot to work with regards to the pitch. Thought we did well to restrict them to what we thought was a chaseable total. Thought we batted really well as well, and it came down to the wire,” Markram said in the post-match presentation.

It was a game that kept the spectators on the edge of their seats with all its expected twists and turns. After Klaasen’s quick-fire fifty ended, things quickly changed, taking the game out of South Africa’s hands.

In the next eighteen deliveries, South Africa lost two wickets while managing to put just ten turns on the board, leaving them in a peculiar situation in the final over.

“A really good game of cricket. We’ve seen with a lot of our games in this campaign – it’s never over till the last ball is bowled. We never got comfortable, there’s always an element of scoreboard pressure. And especially at the back end, things happen quite quickly and can turn quite quickly as well. We got into a great position, which proves we’re worthy finalists,” Markram added.

When Klaasen was muscling away spinners to pick effortless boundaries, South Africa looked destined to lift their maiden T20I trophy. However, things didn’t eventually fall in their favour, yet their inspiring journey remains a proud moment for them.

“Could’ve won the game today. Unfortunately, we didn’t. Still, like I mentioned, incredibly proud of the group. Hopefully, in a really good way. One thing guaranteed about South Africans, wherever they are in the world, is they’re a really competitive person, really respectful person, and a person that will go down with a fight. Hopefully, looking forward, we can draw a lot from those few things and keep putting the skill side of the sport to good use. It’s still a proud moment for us,” Markram concluded.

India vs South Africa Live: Squads –

India: Rohit Sharma(c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sanju Samson, Mohammed Siraj, Yashasvi Jaiswal

South Africa: Quinton de Kock(w), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram(c), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Bjorn Fortuin, Ryan Rickelton

The finalists of the Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 have been decided and for the first time ever, an unbeaten team will lift the title when India lock horns with South Africa on June 29. And this time, it’s Bridgetown’s Kensington Oval that will host the first daytime T20 World Cup Final. This will also be the first time South Africa will be competing in the Men’s World Cup Final. Apart from winning the inaugural Champions Trophy Final in 1998, South Africa have never made the final of any Men’s ICC tournament and needless to say, Aiden Markram and his team will be keen to etch their name in history.

Ahead of a must-win contest for both sides on Saturday, let’s discuss how the Proteas can tackle the Asian giants to clinch their maiden World Cup title.

Is South Africa prepared for high-flying India in the final?

Win toss, bat first

With bowling being their strong suit, South Africa should prefer bowling second in the final. In the four day matches played at the Kensington Oval, the team winning the toss has decided twice to bat first in the tournament.

Overall in this tournament, India have batted first five times out of their seven matches and have won them all. Tactically, Aiden Markram’s men should opt to bat first after winning the toss in the final. Even if India bat first, South Africa have enough firepower in their bowling to remove the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli early in the innings.

Go slow to Suryakumar

India’s middle order has been making the difference in most of their wins and with Suryakumar Yadav in the middle, it’s always a challenge for any opposition bowling unit.

Surya – the world’s No.1 T20I batter – loves using any pace and bounce on offer to go behind the wicket which is prominently known as ‘Supla Shot’. The unorthodox shots behind the stumps have brought out the best of Suryakumar against South African pacers.

Interestingly, pacers have found success against him with their slower balls – a reminder of how Suryakumar struggled against slow bouncers in the ODI World Cup 2023 Final.

The Proteas’ pacers need to be wary about any chinks in Suryakumar’s armour and try different variations consistently against him.

Maharaj in the powerplay can work

Indian opening duo Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have always enjoyed facing pace early in the innings. South Africa, generally, have opened the proceedings with pacers Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada.

After their loss to India in the semis, skipper Jos Buttler admitted his tactical mistake of not going with spinner Moeen Ali in the powerplay. Bearing this in mind, South Africa should try out a couple of overs from Keshav Maharaj inside the first six overs. Traditionally, both Rohit and Kohli have tended to score slowly against left-arm spin.

South Africa play spin better

South African batters tend to play spin better compared to the other SENA countries. Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller have been South Africa’s best players of spin while the likes of Quinton de Kock and skipper Markram still have a decent hold on spinners.

But can they withstand the collective pressure that the Indian spin trio of Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja could bring from both ends? Yes, they can. With a clear head, the Protea batters must use the depth of their crease to attack the Indian spinners and keep their run rate healthy.

When it’s do or die opposition doesn’t matter

South Africa have always been on the receiving end of defeat in World Cup knockouts and this is the first time they have made a World Cup Final. Interestingly, they have come close on many occasions, reaching the semis in five ODI World Cups (1992, 1999, 2003, 2015, and 2023).

And in T20 World Cups, they have made two semi-final appearances (2004 and 2014) before this year. As the stars seemingly align for South Africa in 2024, it will be up to their men on the field to ensure that the Proteas create history by clinching their first-ever World Cup trophy.

File image of Sourav Ganguly© BCCI

Indian cricket fans in Kanpur offer prayers for the victory of the Rohit Sharma-led Men in Blue in the final match of the T20 World Cup 2024 against South Africa. India will take on South Africa in the final match of the T20 World Cup 2024 at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday. A little away from Kanpur, fans in Varanasi performed havan for Team India’s victory in the upcoming final match of the marquee event. India will be aiming to end their drought for an ICC trophy since 2013’s Champions Trophy and also win their first T20 World Cup since 2007’s inaugural edition in South Africa.

Both South Africa and India have been the only sides to stay unbeaten in the 2024 edition of the T20 World Cup after displaying a stupendous performance in the marquee event.

However, in the history of the T20 World Cup, we have never seen a winner that has gone unbeaten throughout the tournament.

Both teams have had a contrasting run in the tournament. The Rohit Sharma-led side has dominated each side that they have faced in the tournament, including heavyweights like Australia, Pakistan, and England.

While the Proteas have, on numerous occasions, escaped by a narrow margin en route to the final. Bangladesh and Nepal gave them a run for their money in the group stage. In their final game of the Super 8 against the co-hosts, the West Indies, they almost sealed their exit while chasing the revised target of 123.

India Squad: Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sanju Samson, Mohammed Siraj, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

South Africa Squad: Quinton de Kock (WK), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (C), Tristan Stubbs, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Bjorn Fortuin, and Ryan Rickelton.

The T20 World Cup 2024 final will witness South Africa clashing with India at the Kensington Oval on June 29. Both teams have showcased exceptional skill, strategy, and resilience throughout the tournament, setting the stage for an epic encounter. South Africa’s unbeaten run in their T20 World Cup campaign saw them reaching the final after a dominant nine-wicket victory over Afghanistan. Similarly, India had a stellar journey, securing their spot in the final by defeating England by 68 runs.

Ahead of this thrilling showdown, let’s take a look at the Proteas’ predicted XI as they prepare to face the formidable Men in Blue on Saturday.

Predicted XI

Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper)

Quinton de Kock, the hard-hitting batter, is expected to open the innings for South Africa in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final. With 2,545 runs in 91 matches, averaging 31.41 and a strike rate of 138.54 in T20Is, the left-hander has the potential to set a solid foundation for his team.

De Kock has led his team from the front this World Cup and is the highest run-scorer for South Africa with 204 runs in eight matches. His capability to score fours and sixes in bulk during the powerplay poses a significant threat to India’s bowling attack.

Reeza Hendricks

Reeza Hendricks is expected to open the innings alongside Quinton de Kock in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final against India. Renowned for his knack of anchoring the innings, Hendricks has amassed 1,938 runs in 67 T20I matches.

Although the right-hander hasn’t had a standout World Cup, scoring 109 runs in 8 matches, his capability to stabilise the innings could provide much-needed solidity to South Africa’s top order.

Aiden Markram (captain)

South Africa captain Aiden Markram’s inclusion in the playing XI is a significant boost to the team’s middle order. Markram, known for his elegant stroke play and ability to accelerate the scoring rate, has notched up 1,237 runs in 47 T20I matches while maintaining a strike rate of 144.

As South Africa prepare to face a formidable Indian side, Markram’s experience and composure with the bat and in the field will be pivotal in navigating the high-pressure moments in this crucial match.

Heinrich Klaasen

Heinrich Klaasen’s inclusion against India adds explosive power to South Africa’s middle order. Renowned for his aggressive batting and ability to score rapidly under pressure, Klaasen has accumulated 860 runs in 51 T20Is with a strike rate of 140.52.

Despite an underwhelming T20 World Cup, Klaasen’s proficiency against both pace and spin makes him a valuable asset against India’s versatile bowling attack.

David Miller

David Miller’s inclusion against India brings a wealth of experience and finishing prowess to the team. Known for his powerful hitting and ability to change the course of a match in the death overs, Miller has been a consistent performer in high-pressure situations.

The South African southpaw has scored 2,416 runs in 124 T20I matches backed by a strike rate of 140.71. Miller’s presence will be crucial in adding depth and firepower to the batting lineup come Saturday.

Tristan Stubbs

Tristan Stubbs will bring energy and innovative batting to the South African lineup. Known for his fearless approach and ability to score quickly, Stubbs brings a fresh dynamism to the middle order. His agility in the field and versatility with the bat make him a valuable asset, capable of shifting through the gears in crucial moments.

Stubbs’ knack for scoring runs in the middle has seen him pile up 373 runs in 25 matches. The right-hander is likely to play a key role in injecting impetus and unpredictability to South Africa’s game plan.

Marco Jansen

Bowling all-rounder Marco Jansen brings firepower to SA’s destructive pace attack. Known for his tall stature and ability to extract bounce and movement from the pitch, Jansen has taken 12 wickets in as many T20I matches so far while maintaining an economy rate of 8.01.

Along with his ability to strike with the ball in crucial moments of the match, Jansen’s capability to contribute with the bat has seen him score 62 runs in 12 T20I matches and he will have a big role to play against India come Saturday.

Keshav Maharaj

Known for his exceptional spin bowling and control, Keshav Maharaj brings an element of surprise to South Africa’s bowling attack on the spin-friendly pitches. His ability to contain runs and take key wickets in the middle overs makes him a valuable asset in high-pressure situations. The left-arm orthodox bowler has scalped 33 wickets in 34 T20I matches.

Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada’s inclusion to the playing XI against India comes as no surprise considering he’s one of the premier fast bowlers in world cricket. Rabada’s pace, precision, and ability to deliver under pressure make him a crucial asset in South Africa’s bowling attack. Known to strike early with the new ball thanks to his accurate lengths in the death overs, Rabada has clinched 70 wickets in 64 T20I matches.

With 12 wickets in eight matches in the ongoing World Cup, Rabada’s experience and fiery temperament will be pivotal in curbing India’s formidable batting lineup and steering South Africa towards victory.

Anrich Nortje

Protea pacer Anrich Nortje is set to lead the South African pace attack in the upcoming encounter. Known for his express pace and ability to generate bounce on any surface, Nortje has been instrumental in guiding his team to the final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

The right-arm fast bowler has taken 51 wickets in 41 T20I matches. He has enjoyed a stellar run in the ongoing T20 World Cup, emerging as South Africa’s highest wicket-taker with 13 wickets in eight matches. South Africa will rely on his pace and wicket-taking ability to challenge India’s formidable batting lineup.

Tabraiz Shamsi

Tabraiz Shamsi’s inclusion in the playing XI adds more versatility to South Africa’s bowling attack. As a left-arm wrist spinner, Shamsi brings variety and the ability to disrupt the rhythm of India’s strong batting lineup. Known for his deceptive googlies and variations, Shamsi has taken 89 wickets in 69 T20I matches with an economy rate of 7.38.

The Protea spinner enters this upcoming contest following a 3-wicket haul in just 1.5 overs against Afghanistan. His knack for breaking partnerships besides also containing runs will be crucial in curbing India’s total in the final.

India will take on face South Africa on Saturday in the T20 World Cup final in Bridgetown, Barbados. However, the rain is likely to play spoilsport at the Kensington Oval. India pumped England in a rain-hit semi-final in Guyana, while South Africa hammered Afghanistan in the other clash at Trinidad. If the rain does arrive on matchday, the ICC has alotted a reserve day for the final. If the match cannot be completed on Saturday, both teams will take the field once again on Sunday, the reserve day. The capital of Barbados, Bridgetown, witnessed heavy rain on the eve of the match.

It’s past midnight in India and here in Barbados the rain has just after sun set.#Kalki2898AD pic.twitter.com/esypzB5Sg9

— Aman Choudhary (@Aman4Bmr) June 29, 2024

As per Accuweather, showers and possible thunderstorms could result in some disruptions. The rain percentage could rise upto 51 during the match.

The sky will be mostly cloudy with occasional scattered sunlight to moderate showers, and a very slight chance of isolated thunderstorms.

Here’s the hourly weather update of Barbados (Saturday, June 29):

9:00 AM (6:30 PM IST) – 47 % chance of rain

10:00 AM (7:30 PM IST) – 29 % chance of rain

11:00 AM (8:30 PM IST) – 29 % chance of rain

12:00 PM (9:30 PM IST) – 35 % chance of rain

1:00 PM (10:30 PM IST) – 51 % chance of rain

2:00 PM (11:30 PM IST) – 47 % chance of rain

3:00 PM (12:30 AM IST) – 40 % chance of rain

While the Barbados Meteorological Service had suggested that a tropical storm might affect the island on Saturday, the weather forecast suggests that there might be some improvement as we approach match day.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that the match might start at scheduled time as the playing outfield will also be inspected by the umpires before the scheduled toss time.

The second semi-final between India and England was also delayed due to rain. However, a full match was completed despite a few interruptions by the rain in Guyana.

According to ICC’s Playing Conditions for the reserve day, “every effort will be made to complete the match on the scheduled day with any necessary reduction in overs taking place and only if the minimum number of overs necessary to constitute a match cannot be bowled on the scheduled day will the match be completed on the reserve day.”

A minimum over 10 overs must be completed by each side in order to achieve a result. However, if the match begins on the scheduled, but could not be completed on the same due to rain interruptions, it will resume from the same point on the reserve day.

South African skipper Aiden Markram was certain that he does not want to play another match on the pitch here, but was chuffed to see his side tame a challenging track in the semifinal to enter its maiden T20 World Cup final. The deck at the Brian Lara Academy stadium offered considerable movement off the seam and South African quicks used it to the optimum to bowl out Afghanistan for an insufficient 56.

“If we reflect back on this wicket, we’ll probably be pretty happy that we’re not playing here again. T20 cricket as a whole, you want entertainment,” said Markram in the post-match press meet after SA defeated Afghanistan by nine wickets.

Markram was delighted to see South Africa finding a way to win on a challenging strip.

“The wickets that we’ve had throughout the competition have been pretty challenging. It’s hard to tell that a wicket is not good because it can’t just always be a batter’s game.

“Having said that, still taking the positives we can. Wickets are tough. So, finding a way to win is probably the most important thing.” South Africa will now travel to Barbados for the final either against India or England.

“We’ve been doing it for most of our careers, you jump from venue to venue where conditions are quite different. So, it’s again just adapting and playing the pitch and the game that’s in front of you.

“We’ll try to find ways to always take wickets with the ball and from a batting point of view try to get to a score that’s defendable. Both teams have to play on the same wicket,” he noted.

But for now, Markram wants to relish the feeling of entering a World Cup title clash.

“The bits that we’re realising now, it’s obviously a really nice feeling. This team’s been together for a long time now as a white ball group, and it’s nice for us to get to a final.

“We feel and believe that we can compete with the best in the world and we can win trophies. It’s nice for us to now have that opportunity.” The SA captain said winning close games in the group and Super Eights stages of boosted their confidence.

“You do get belief from winning close games and potentially winning games that you thought you weren’t going to win.

“It does a lot for your changing room vibe. So, we’ll take a little bit of confidence from that and see if we can put it to any use in the final,” he offered.

In a way, South Africa have atoned for all their past failures in global events, but Markram insisted that the past was not a topic in the current dressing room.

“We haven’t spoken about it to be honest. I think it’s a personal and individual motivation that you get to a final; to earn the opportunity to lift the trophy.

“So, if you reflect back, we couldn’t get over the line in that semifinal (in the 50-over World Cup against Australia) and you look at tonight, a few things went our way. We managed to win the game and we found ourselves in the final.” The 29-year-old patted South African bowlers for making the semifinal a lopsided affair after bowling out Afghanistan for a record low of 56.

“The bowlers, the whole competition, they’ve been really good. Probably saving the batters on certain occasions. So, you have to give a lot of appreciation towards them.

Markram had led South Africa to the under-19 World Cup title a decade ago, but he was not really banking on that experience here.

“It’s a really long time ago and my memory is not great, but you get a little bit of confidence and belief knowing you have done it on a certain level before. There are similar pressures that you have to deal with being in a final,” he added.

Markram was also gracious enough to acknowledge the wonderful run Afghanistan had in this event.

“It’s really cool to see. They have some of the best (players) in the world at the moment. So, they’re really on a good track. Making a semifinal for them is obviously massive. I think they’ve inspired a lot of people back at home.

“I’ve seen some pictures that inspire us as well to try and make that difference to people back at home. I’m sure it’s not going to be the end of them making knockout cricket,” he concluded.

Former Zimbabwe captain Andy Flower on Thursday labelled the pitch for the T20 World Cup semifinal in Trindidad as ‘dangerous’ after Afghanistan suffered a nine-wicket defeat to South Africa. On a tough pitch with variable bounce and exaggerated seam movement, Afghanistan folded for a mere 56 in 11.5 overs for their lowest T20I total as South Africa made their first-ever World Cup final. While Flower backed Afghanistan’s decision to bat after winning the toss, he said it was impossible for the batters to gauge the bounce off the surface.

“You can’t blame Afghanistan for doing what they did at the toss. They had such an excellent record batting first and then defending with a very good varied attack of their own,” Flower told ESPNCricinfo.

“But batting first was a really tough ask. You didn’t know what a good score would be and they were just blown away.” “A couple of balls flew off a length around, sort of shoulder, neck, chin height off the South African quicks and one of them flew over Quinton de Kock — the ‘keeper’s head and gloves for four byes. I was pleased that no one got hurt,” Flower said.

Flower, who coaches Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, said visuals of the pitch revealed the cracks and blocks which produced a ‘wild variance in bounce’.

“You saw some interesting visual shots from above the square and a couple of the commentators referenced this being a brand new pitch. Perhaps, they could have used a pitch that had been used previously,” he said.

“Those shots showed that crazy paving-type effect and that those blocks and the cracks produced this wild variance in bounce. As a batter, you’re trying to predict where the ball is going to be. You want to meet it somewhere near the middle of the bat, at least.” “(But) on this pitch, it was almost impossible to do that on any consistent basis at all. I thought it was actually a little bit dangerous,” said the former England head coach.

Former Australia all-rounder Tom Moody said batting on that pitch at the Brian Lara Stadium was ‘a very difficult challenge to combat’.

“I don’t think you’d want to see it in any game, to be honest with you. You want a fair contest between bat and ball and I’m not advocating that we need to have surfaces that you need 200 plus runs,” he said.

“But you need consistent bounce — that is the most important thing — (and) any batter would hold their hands up and say, that is the most important thing.” “If you’ve got one ball that’s hitting the toe of your bat or one that you feel like you’re going to punch with your gloves at the same length, that is a very difficult challenge to combat,” he added.

Moody observed presence of thick grass near the cracks on the pitch led to invariable bounce on the surface.

“You see, this sort of crazy paving, if I could put it that way, where a lot of dense grass was gathered around those cracks — you could just tell that was the thing that promoted the inconsistency of bounce,” he said.

“It’ll be something that they’ll reflect on, if not reflecting on already and thinking, well, we’ve got this wrong,” added Moody.