After a spectacular tournament, two unbeaten sides met in Barbados in the T20 World Cup Final. India won the toss and bat first.

Virat Kohli’s gritty 76 contributed significantly to India’s formidable first-innings total of 176/7, as they aimed for their first title in over a decade. Axar Patel contributed 47 runs in 31 balls. Including, Shivam Dube’s 27-run cameo helps India to secure 176 runs.

South Africa, in pursuit of their maiden world title, came tantalizingly close with strong performances from Quinton de Kock and Heinrich Klaasen while chasing 177. De Kock continued his excellent form, though, partnering up with Tristan Stubbs for 58 off 38 balls. Stubbs’ departure – bowled by Axar Patel for 31 – brought Heinrich Klaasen to the crease for the last ball of the ninth over, with South Africa still needing more than 100 runs. And de Kock could not helm the chase, holing Arshdeep out to the hands of Kuldeep Yadav for a valuable 39. David Miller joined Klaasen and their combined big hitting got the required run rate down to a run a ball, with 30 remaining. But Klaasen nicked Hardik Pandya behind for 52 in the 17th over, looking for another boundary to close the gap even further, leaving his side on 151/5. Marco Jansen was out shortly afterward to a great Bumrah ball as the required run-rate increased again – with 20 needed off the last two overs. And Miller fell in the first ball of the final over for 21, attempting a six off Hardik but reaching only the hands of Suryakumar on the run, who managed to keep his feet on the right side of the rope. Maharaj and Rabada tried to keep the pressure on. But they could not fend off Hardik for much longer, with Rabada hefting a shot straight to Suryakumar again. A single from Anrich Nortje left South Africa eight runs short of victory in an epic final.

India clinched victory by a slim margin of 7 runs. Match summary: