By steamrolling Australia out of the competition and beating England by 68 runs in the semi-finals, Team India made their way to the final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in style. Skipper Rohit Sharma, who scored a massive 92 out of 41 balls against Australia before making an impressive 37-ball 59, is leading from the front as Men In Blue stands within striking distance from ultimate glory.
Jasprit Bumrah has proven true to his ‘best bowler in T20 format’ title. The yorker master has impressed everyone with his impressive economy and wicket-taking prowess. Additionally, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh have garnered the ability to turn the second innings around with their exceptional bowling.
However, Virat Kohli's inability to find runs at ease has been a cause of concern for the team. Rohit and Kohli consistently supported by Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya, the Men In Blue seem to have only one goal in mind and that is to bring the cup home.
South Africa, meanwhile, have been creating massive waves as well by winning every game they have played. The Proteas are determined to win the trophy because if they do so, it will be their very first title in the Men’s World Cup history.
The team is filled with exceptional bowlers such as Anrich Nortje, Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada. South Africa showed their bowling strength early on against Afghanistan in the first semifinal, dismissing both their openers before they even reached 20 runs. South Africa has proven to be a refreshed team this season, a team that only knows how to win.
It is now only a matter of time to see which of the two sides will emerge as the ultimate champions of this T20 World Cup. Ahead of Saturday’s India vs South Africa final in Kensington Oval in Barbados, here are a few things you need to know
India vs South Africa Pitch Report: The Kensington Oval pitch offers effective seam movement early on in the match. Fast bowlers in the initial overs can expect extra bounce. However, once the batsmen get adjusted to the pitch, spinners will need to rely on their variations and accuracy.
Weather Report: The weather conditions are expected to be cloudy, with slight showers, breezy winds as well as thunderstorms. The temperature during the match is expected to be at 31 degree celsius with 78% humidity.
India probable Playing XI: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Rishab Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav
South Africa probable Playing XI Aiden Markram (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Tabraiz Shamsi
