India vs South Africa: What Happened in last T20 World Cup Meeting? Scorecard, Top Players

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The rivalry between India and South Africa has always been one of grit and high drama, but no chapter is as golden for Indian fans as their last T20 World Cup meeting. On June 29, 2024, at the Kensington Oval in Barbados, the two titans met in the Final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.

It was a match that had an entire nation holding its breath, ultimately ending India's 11-year wait for an ICC trophy and giving a fairytale farewell to T20I legends Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja.

What Happened in last India vs South Africa T20 World Cup Match?

India and South Africa played in the final of the T20 World Cup last year. it was India's third final while the Proteas managed to qualify for their first final.

The First Innings: Kohli's Final Masterclass

India won the toss and opted to bat first. However, disaster struck early. Keshav Maharaj dismissed skipper Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant in the second over, and when Suryakumar Yadav fell shortly after, India was struggling at 34/3 inside the Powerplay.

Virat Kohli, who had a quiet tournament until then, anchored the innings brilliantly. He was joined by Axar Patel, who was promoted up the order. Axar counter-attacked the South African spinners, smashing a quickfire 47 to shift the momentum. Later, a crucial cameo by Shivam Dube helped India post 176/7, setting the record for the highest first-innings total in a Men's T20 World Cup Final.

Top Scorers for India:

Virat Kohli: 76 runs (59 balls) - Highest Scorer of the Match
Axar Patel: 47 runs (31 balls)
Shivam Dube: 27 runs (16 balls)

Top Bowlers for South Africa:

Keshav Maharaj: 2/23 (3 overs)
Anrich Nortje: 2/26 (4 overs)

The Chase: Klaasen's Scare and India's Comeback

South Africa's chase got off to a rocky start as Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh struck early, reducing them to 12/2. Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs rebuilt the innings, but the real threat came from Heinrich Klaasen.
He launched a ferocious assault, smashing 52 off just 27 balls. When he took 24 runs off Axar Patel's 15th over, South Africa needed just 30 runs from the last 30 balls with six wickets in hand. The game looked completely lost for India.

But the Indian pace trio turned the match on its head. Jasprit Bumrah returned to bowl a magical spell, conceding just 6 runs in his last two overs and clean-bowling Marco Jansen. Hardik Pandya got the crucial breakthrough by dismissing Klaasen, swinging the momentum back to the Men in Blue

Top Scorers for South Africa:

Heinrich Klaasen: 52 runs (27 balls)
Quinton de Kock: 39 runs (31 balls)
Tristan Stubbs: 31 runs (21 balls)

Hardik Pandya bowled the 20th over. On the very first ball, Suryakumar Yadav took what is now considered one of the greatest catches in cricket history at the long-off boundary to dismiss David Miller. India eventually restricted South Africa to 169/8, winning by 7 runs.Player of the Match was Virat Kohli for his match-winning knock.

Top Wicket-Takers for India:

Hardik Pandya: 3/20 (3 overs)
Jasprit Bumrah: 2/18 (4 overs)
Arshdeep Singh: 2/20 (4 overs)

This victory was more than just a win, it was a redemption for the "Men in Blue" after the heartbreak of the 2023 ODI World Cup final. Under Rohit Sharma, India won their second T20 World Cup, the first after 17 years. As both teams prepare for their next clash in the 2026 edition, the ghosts of Barbados will undoubtedly be on the minds of the Proteas.