"Indian bowlers saved Virat Kohli's innings in ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final," says Sanjay Manjrekar

Virat Kohli was adjudged Player of the Match for his fighting fifty in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final.

Indian star batter Virat Kohli was the highest scorer in the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final. Kohli played a match-winning innings of 76 runs off 59 deliveries during the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa in Barbados on June 29. His innings consisted of six boundaries and two sixes, which helped India post 176/7 in 20 overs. 

While defending, the Indian pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya delivered the match-winning spells; the Men in Blue defeated the Proteas by seven runs and clinched the T20 World Cup title.

The Rohit Sharma-led India became the first team in T20 World Cup history to win the championship without losing a single match. The Men in Blue also ended their 11-year-old ICC title drought.

The 37-year-old Rohit became the second Indian skipper after MS Dhoni to lift the T20 World Cup trophy. Dhoni won the inaugural championship in 2007.

Bowlers took the game from the jaws of defeat and won it for India: Sanjay Manjrekar

Kohli won the Player of the Match Award for amassing 76 runs in the T20 World Cup 2024 final against the Proteas. 

However, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar felt that it was not Kohli who deserved the Man of the Match award, but he feels a bowler should have gotten the award.

Manjrekar stressed that the Markram-led South Africa were in a commanding position after Heinrich Klassen’s firing fifty. At one point, the Proteas needed 30 runs off the final five overs, but the stunning effort from the Indian pacers helped India storm back. Manjrekar reckons the bowlers saved Kohli from being criticised for his knock.

“India were in a losing position, 90 percent winning chances (for South Africa). The complete turnaround actually saved Virat Kohli’s innings because he played virtually half the innings with a strike-rate of 128. My Player of the Match would’ve been a bowler because they actually took the game from the jaws of defeat and won it for India,” Sanjay Manjrekar told ESPNCricinfo.

The Indian pace trio of Jasprit Bumrah (2/18), Arshdeep Singh (2/20), and vice-captain Hardik Pandya (3/20) helped India clinch the title. Bumrah won the Player of the Tournament award for his 15 wickets at an incredible economy of below five runs an over.

Left-arm speedster Arshdeep bagged 17 wickets. Arshdeep also became the highest wicket-taker for India in a single edition of the T20 World Cup.

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