The Indian team used to perform brilliantly in the league stage of tournaments but would falter in the knockout matches. This had broken the hearts of Team India and millions of Indian fans for many years.
Sports News: The date of June 29th has become forever special in the history of Indian cricket. On this day in 2024, India fulfilled the dream of millions of Indians by winning an ICC trophy after a long wait of 11 years. In the final of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, Team India defeated South Africa by 7 runs in a thrilling match and won the title for the second time.
The story of this victory was also no less than a film script. India performed bly throughout the tournament and when the pressure was at its peak in the final, Indian bowlers and Hardik Pandya played a brilliant game and led the team to victory. In the match played in Barbados, India batted first and scored 176 runs for the loss of 7 wickets in 20 overs. In response, South Africa could only score 169 runs and India registered a victory by 7 runs, creating history.
The Thrill of the Final: When Hearts Stopped
Every moment of the final match was filled with excitement. At one point, South Africa had completely taken control of the match, but in the final overs, the Indian bowlers retaliated. Hardik Pandya bowled brilliantly in the important overs and changed the course of the innings. The Indian bowlers together did what they had missed in the 2023 ODI World Cup final.
The pain of losing the ODI World Cup final against Australia in 2023 was still fresh in the hearts of the Indian team and fans. India had reached the final after winning 10 consecutive matches, but Australia shattered that dream. This defeat had mentally shaken Team India, but this T20 victory in 2024 proved to be a balm on that old wound.
Virat, Rohit, and Jadeja bid farewell to T20s
The victory of June 29, 2024, was made even more memorable by three legendary Indian players — Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja — who announced their retirement from the T20 format after this title win. These three legends had given India many historic victories in T20 cricket, and their contribution will never be forgotten by cricket lovers.
Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been the backbone of the Indian T20 team. Kohli won the team several matches with his classic innings, while Rohit, with his explosive style, broke the backs of the opponents. Ravindra Jadeja, on the other hand, always balanced the team with his all-round performance. All three of them retired from their T20 careers at the right time after winning the World Cup, making their story even more inspiring.
The Special Relationship of June 29th
Looking at history, the date of June 29th has become important for Indian cricket in many ways. In 2024, on this day, India ended an 11-year drought and then, the very next year, in 2025, Team India defeated New Zealand in March and also won the ICC Champions Trophy. This means that Team India did not have to wait long for the next trophy after the World Cup.
Since the victory of 2024, June 29th has become a date of celebration for Indian cricket fans. Many people celebrate it as "Cricket Victory Day" because on this day, India showed the world that it is once again the champion.
The way Team India prepared itself after the crushing defeat against Australia in 2023 is commendable. New players also contributed, but the presence of senior players like Kohli, Rohit, and Jadeja strengthened the team. When the pressure increased in the final, the experienced players maintained their composure, and this became the key to victory.
