India’s captain in the 2024 T20 World Cup, Rohit Sharma, has called Suryakumar Yadav’s incredible boundary catch to dismiss David Miller in the final over “the moment” that sealed India’s historic win. Speaking to JioHotstar during a video celebrating the one-year anniversary of India lifting the trophy, Rohit shared how tense the final moments were and praised Virat Kohli’s match-winning knock that anchored India’s innings.
Defending 177 against South Africa, India needed something special when Hardik Pandya bowled a wide full toss to Miller with 16 runs required off the last over. Miller smashed the ball straight down the ground, but Suryakumar sprinted to his left from long-off, grabbed the ball, tossed it in the air as he crossed the boundary rope, stepped back in and completed the catch.
“Even after the catch, the umpires sent it upstairs and everyone’s hearts were in their mouths,” Rohit recalled. “I thought it had gone for six because I was at long-on, opposite Surya. I was already thinking ‘10 needed off five balls’ but then I saw it was going to Surya. It would have taken a blinder to take that catch. The wind was blowing in, maybe that helped pull the ball back a little.”
Rohit said he was so nervous he could not watch the big screen replay. “I told him, ‘You only tell me if it’s a catch or not, I don’t want to look.’ Surya said, ‘No, no, I caught it.’ But then I saw him telling someone, ‘Maybe, I don’t know.’ And then they showed the zoom camera, and the rope didn’t move. So we were happy, but you never know until it comes on the board.”
South Africa could only manage eight runs in that over as India secured a thrilling seven-run win and their second T20 World Cup title.
Earlier, India had won the toss and started strongly. Kohli hit three boundaries in the first over and Rohit added two more in the second, taking India to 23 runs off just eight balls. However, the early momentum was halted when Keshav Maharaj dismissed both Rohit and Rishabh Pant in the same over, and Kagiso Rabada removed Suryakumar soon after, leaving India reeling at three down inside the powerplay.
“When we lost those three wickets up front, there were obviously a lot of nerves in the dressing room,” Rohit admitted. “I was panicking. I was not comfortable. I thought we let them into the game. But deep down, I knew our lower middle order had stepped up whenever they got a chance.”
Axar Patel played a crucial knock of 47 off 31 balls, sharing a 72-run stand with Kohli to revive India’s innings. Kohli then added 57 runs with Shivam Dube to push India to 176.
“Not many people are talking about Axar’s knock but it was a gamechanger,” Rohit said. “And we needed one guy to stick around. Virat did that job perfectly. He batted through the entire innings so Axar, Shivam and Hardik could come in and play their roles.”
Kohli had struggled for runs throughout the tournament, scoring just 75 runs in seven innings before the final. But under pressure, he delivered with a crucial 76 off 59 balls, earning the Player of the Match award.
“If you get three boundaries in the first over, you obviously start well and that relieves you a bit,” Rohit said. “The experience of playing for India for so long really helps. You can control your emotions and stay in the moment. I am sure he was thinking ‘today is the day to focus and not worry about what has happened before’. And he played a great knock.”
