T20 World Cup: Packed with match winners, India take ‘Cup of Joy’ with dominant show
In the 20-team ICC event, India’s eleventh match featured a number of match-winners; Each of them had the ability to turn the game around with their individual brilliance.
India were overwhelming favorites in the showpiece T20 but had their share of setbacks on their way to a record third title.
However, the superiority expected from the home team throughout the tournament was finally revealed when they eliminated their opponents in the semi-finals and finals.
In terms of the batting order, PTI looks at the invaluable contributions of the men who gave India their second T20 World Cup crown in 18 months.
Sanju Samson
After a decade of poor performance and inconsistency, Sanju Samson has finally realized his rare potential in this tournament. Samson, who lost his place in the team due to poor form, got the opportunity in the Super 8 stage of the tournament and did not look back after that. The stylish right-hander left an indelible mark in the history of the tournament by hitting famous knocks of 97, 89, 89 in succession in India’s three must-win matches, including the final.
His technique had not been questioned not too long ago, but he overcame all his mental demons to pave the way for India to win in three high-pressure knockout matches against the West Indies, England and New Zealand.
Abhishek Sharma
Abhishek Sharma, India’s biggest match winner in the last 18 months, failed to get into the race in the first phase of the tournament and the barren run continued until the business end of the tournament.
A stomach infection affected his form and conditioning early in the competition, but the team management kept faith in him and carried him on their shoulders the whole way.
His faith paid off when it mattered most, as he made a timely half-century in the final, taking India to 92 all out without a loss in the powerplay and effectively shutting half of the Black Caps’ door.
Ishan Kishan
Kishan moved up to third place to place Samson in the top two but this did little to affect his performance. Solak also had the opportunity to score 54 with 25 balls in the final.
But his most notable effort came in the crucial clash against Pakistan in Colombo, where he clubbed 77 off 40 balls on a difficult surface.
Meanwhile, there was also a 24-ball 38 against Zimbabwe in the Super 8. Kishan, who was not part of the team’s plans a few months ago, made the most of the opportunities and cemented his place in the side.
Suryakumar Yadav
There was a lot of pressure on captain Suryakumar Yadav to qualify for the tournament. Runs had deserted him after India’s title win in Barbados in June 2024, but three half-centuries in the previous bilateral series against New Zealand gave him much-needed confidence ahead of their World Cup title defense at home.
He made an immediate impact in India’s tournament opener against the USA at Wankhede, scoring 84. It was a two-pace surface and Surya played the conditions perfectly to get the team out of trouble.
But he would have preferred more runs since the Super 8 stage of the tournament.
Shivam Dube
Dube, who was also part of the successful 2024 campaign, has come of age in the last six months. He was lethal against spinners in the middle overs but has now improved his game tremendously against pacers.
He quietly made a number of impressive shots throughout the tournament; most notably 66 against the Netherlands, 43 against England in the semi-final and even 26 not out from 8 balls in the final came at the best time for his team.
Tilak Varma
Tilak was moved from number three to five due to a combination change where Samson batted alongside Abhishek Sharma.
Tilak, who underwent groin surgery ahead of the tournament, struggled in the league phase of the ICC event and found his rhythm in an opposing role in the middle order where he had to attack from the start.
His 16-ball 44 against Zimbabwe in the Super 8 provided the opening he was looking for.
His seven balls (21) in the semi-final were also critical in the context of a game that could not be fully secured at the high-scoring Wankhede.
Hardik Pandya
There is no peer in world cricket for Hardik Pandya and he has once again confirmed his status as a first-class all-rounder with his performances throughout the season. The skipper trusted him to bowl at any stage of the innings, be it the powerplay, middle over or the last five overs.
He scored several fifties with the bat and helped India cross the 250-run mark in the first innings with 27 off 12 balls against England.
Axar Patel
Vice-captain Axar Patel thought it was a tough end when he was substituted in two matches in Ahmedabad, including the Super 8 contest which India lost against South Africa.
He was duly brought back into the side for the must-win match against the West Indies. His moment of glory came in the semi-final when he made two sensational catches at different stages of the game to make a decisive difference.
He made his presence felt in the final as well. Called on to bowl in the powerplay, Axar got rid of the dangerous Finn Allen to put New Zealand on the back foot in an improbable run chase.
Varun Chakaravarthy
Chakaravarthy, India’s X-factor bowler in the last 18 months, has lost form in the Super 8 but has been as effective as ever in the early part of the tournament.
He scored many runs in knockout games where batsmen preferred to play him from behind.
But the team management had such strong faith in him that he was persistent, just like an out-of-form Abhishek Sharma.
He got the explosive Tim Seifert out but was far from his best even in the summit clash. He remains the match-winner in the eyes of the team, and it’s only a matter of time before he rediscovers his lethal methods.
Jasprit Bumrah
Bumrah is widely regarded as the best in the world and he has delivered what he deserves with a string of match-winning performances. Not once did teams fail to beat him. He was always one step ahead.
The best examples of his rare skill were seen in the semi-final and final when he deceived the batsman to take wickets off his first ball. He finished the T20 World Cup final with his best-ever figures: four for 15, a once-in-a-generation fast bowler.
Arshdeep Singh
Along with the impeccable Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh also formed India’s strong pace attack. Like Bumrah himself, Arshdeep was used in all phases of games and was rewarded for his accuracy and consistency.
