Rohit Sharma unveils Rishabh Pant's game-changing strategy behind India's triumph over South Africa in T20 World Cup Final
Not for his batting or wicket-keeping, Rohit Sharma gave Rishabh Pant credit for India's victory against South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 final.
PTC News Desk: The thrilling finale of the 2024 T20 World Cup between India and South Africa still resonates with fans. While Suryakumar Yadav’s stunning catch, the pace bowlers' precision in the death overs, and Virat Kohli’s determined half-century were all critical to India’s victory, captain Rohit Sharma has now unveiled another behind-the-scenes factor that proved instrumental. During his recent appearance on Kapil Sharma's comedy show, Rohit shared how wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant's quick thinking and tactical ploy disrupted South Africa's momentum, tipping the scales in India’s favour.
“When South Africa needed 30 runs from 30 balls, we had a brief break in play. That’s when Pant cleverly slowed the game down—he had a knee injury, and he used that moment to get his knee taped. The game was moving quickly, and at that stage, the batting team just wants to keep up the pace. But we needed to break their rhythm,” Rohit explained.
As India’s captain was busy setting the field and strategising with the bowlers, he noticed Pant taking advantage of the small pause in the game. “Suddenly, I saw Pant fall to the ground, and the physiotherapist rushed in to tape his knee. Heinrich Klaasen was standing there, waiting for the match to resume. It wasn’t the only reason we won, but Pant’s quick thinking helped shift the momentum in our favour,” Rohit continued.
After the break, Hardik Pandya struck gold, dismissing the dangerous Klaasen, which set India back on track. Although David Miller still posed a serious threat, the mounting pressure on South Africa in the final overs allowed India to regain control of the game.
“Hardik’s dismissal of Klaasen changed the game. From that point, the pressure on South Africa intensified. Our entire team rallied together, and yes, we did sledge their batters—details I can’t share here—but it was necessary. We were determined to win, even if it meant a few fines. I told the boys to say whatever they needed to say; we would deal with the referees and umpires afterward,” Rohit candidly added.
Ultimately, Pant’s strategic move and India’s calculated pressure led to a remarkable victory, crowning them T20 World Cup champions once again.
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