New Delhi, June 29
Rohit Sharma, who captained India to 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup glory exactly a year ago with a seven-run win over South Africa in Barbados, said Suryakumar Yadav grabbing that game-turning catch under pressure at long-off to see the back of David Miller was the moment of the title clash for him.
“Surya was at long-off and that catch—honestly, it was the moment of the match. Even after he took it, the umpires were checking if he touched the rope. Everyone’s heart was in their mouth. I was at long-on, watching it unfold. It looked like a six—until Surya flew in and took that blinder. With the wind blowing in, I think it helped pull the ball back slightly.”
“I was standing next to him during the check. I asked him and he said, ‘I think I’ve caught it.’ The zoom camera showed the rope didn’t move—which usually happens if it’s touched. That gave us some relief. But until it flashed on the big screen, you don’t know what the third umpire’s going to decide,” said Rohit to JioHotstar.
The trophy win also meant Rahul Dravid had a happy end to his coaching stint. Rohit explained how he convinced Dravid sir to stay on for one final mission after the 2023 ODI World Cup final heartbreak.
“Rahul bhai wanted to step down after the 2023 World Cup. But we said, ‘There’s another World Cup in six months. We’ve come this far. Let’s give it one more shot.’ He agreed—and I’m so glad he did. I’m sure even now he feels that he made the right decision.”
“For me personally, it was also emotional. My identity as a cricketer began with this format—in the 2007 T20 World Cup. To come full circle and lift the trophy again in 2024—it was just fantastic,” he added.
Before winning the emotional final, India had another emotional high with a win over England in the semi-final at Guyana. With memories of the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final loss to England still fresh, Rohit recalled how he and the team think-tank planned everything to the T, including sequencing their bowlers in power-play.
“Heading into this semi-final, I was quietly confident. We’d played really good cricket leading up to this match—everyone was in form, and we were doing exactly what we had set out to do as a team. Of course, the 2022 loss to England was in the back of our minds—it should be.”
“It was a heavy defeat. But we learned from that. From 2022 to 2024, we changed a lot of things: our mindset, our preparation, and the way we approached key moments. This time, we were fully prepared. There was belief, and there was clarity in what we wanted to achieve.”
“Taking wickets in the powerplay was crucial—half the job gets done there. And against England, it was especially important. Both, Buttler and Salt are dangerous, but Buttler is their key player. He’s experienced, plays around the world, and knows our bowlers well—how to play Axar, Kuldeep, and Bumrah. So, getting him early was critical.”
“We got his wicket in the third over, and Salt in the next. Once that happened, we knew we were halfway there. After that, the game slowed down. We brought on the spinners—Kuldeep, Axar, and Jaddu—and they bowled beautifully. The pitch was helping spin, and the idea was to get the slower bowlers on as early as possible,” concluded Rohit.
