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South Africa‘s dreams of a maiden T20 World Cup title were dashed as they fell just seven runs short against India in a thrilling final of the 2024 edition at the Kensington Oval. Despite a valiant effort, the Proteas were unable to secure victory, marking yet another near miss in their quest for an ICC title.
South Africa’s chase begins with promise
Chasing a target of 177, South Africa faced early setbacks but found hope through Quinton de Kock (39) and Tristan Stubbs (31). Their partnership revived the innings, setting the stage for a potential turnaround. However, the dismissals of these key players shifted the momentum, leading to mounting pressure on the middle order.
Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller’s resilient partnership
Heinrich Klaasen blazed his way to a threatening 52 off just 27 balls, forming a crucial 45-run stand with David Miller. This partnership seemed to tilt the game in South Africa’s favour, but Klaasen’s mistimed shot off Hardik Pandya in the death overs proved costly, stalling the run flow at a critical juncture.
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Dramatic final over and Surya Kumar Yadav’s brilliance
After Klaasen’s dismissal, needing 30 runs from the last 30 balls, South Africa saw their hopes dwindle as the equation boiled down to 16 runs off the final over. In a dramatic twist, Miller smashed a full toss from Pandya, aiming for a six. Nevertheless, Suryakumar Yadav‘s extraordinary catch on the boundary line turned the game around. Yadav’s quick reflexes and presence of mind, throwing the ball back into play before stepping over the rope and catching it again, sealed India’s victory.
Emotional David Miller
Following South Africa’s narrow defeat, a heartbroken Miller was seen agonizing alongside his teammates, grappling with yet another knockout loss for the Proteas in an ICC event. Camilla Harris, his wife, provided comfort after the gut-wrenching loss to India in the all important summit clash. As Miller broke down in tears, the poignant moment of him embracing his wife was captured on camera, symbolizing the deep disappointment felt by the team and their supporters.
