Barbados: It's a T20I game and the chasing team needs just 30 runs from the last five overs. A simple equation. Run-a-ball. It looks more easier considering the modern batting template where batters often post 200-plus totals on the scoreboard.
However, the equation was made to look like a difficult summit to surpass thanks to the tight bowling from the Indian pace duo of Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya.
South Africa were chasing the highest total in T20 World Cup final on June 29 against India. They needed 30 runs from the last five overs with a well set Heinrich Klaasen (49) on the crease and six wickets in hand.
Jasprit Bumrah, a different beast while bowling to the best in the business came to bowl the 16th over and kicked off a turnaround from there. He kept it full in the over and conceded only four runs from it.
Hardik, who had faced scathing criticism ever since the start of the Indian Premiere League 2024 after being elected as Mumbai Indians captain was bowling the next over. He bowled a clutch over leaking only four runs from it. Not only that but he provided much-needed breakthrough of Klaasen in that over.
22 runs were needed from the last three overs now and the game was going down the wire. South Africa were on their way to choking the game once again. Bumrah cleaned up Marco Jansen beating him all hands up with a delivery that nipped back sharply into the batter. Only two runs and the equation was 20 runs from two overs now. Heartbeats of the fans of both teams were racing now.
Arshdeep conceded only four runs in the penultimate over and Hardik was to defend 16 runs from six balls. The all-rounder who was termed as villain in Indian cricket by many had a chance to turn out to be a hero. But, a dangerous hitter like David Miller was there. Suryakumar Yadav came up with an unreal fielding effort at the boundary to dismiss the southpaw. Pandya then kept bowling his deliveries outside off to Kagiso Rabada to keep them outside his hitting arc and kept his composure intact under such crunch situations.
It looked like South Africa will cruise to victory and win their maiden ICC title at one point in time but the duo of Bumrah and Pandya unleashed some of the best deliveries to orchestrate a turnaround.
