India’s triumph at the T20 World Cup under Rohit Sharma’s leadership marked a historic moment, bringing home the ICC silverware in the shortest format after a 17-year hiatus. The victory was hard-fought, with South Africa dominating the run-chase in the final until Hardik Pandya’s game-changing intervention.
The turning point came in the 17th over when Pandya dismissed Heinrich Klaasen, who had been threatening to snatch the game away from India. With the Proteas needing just 40 runs from 24 balls and Klaasen in blistering form, India’s hopes seemed to be fading.
However, Pandya’s strike ignited a shift in momentum. Speaking on the comedy show ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show,’ Rohit revealed the behind-the-scenes tactics employed by the Indian team to unsettle the South Africans.
“We all came together and said a few things to their batsmen, which I can’t share here, but it was necessary because we had to win at any cost,” Rohit said. “Even if we got fined after winning, it didn’t matter. I told the boys to say whatever they wanted and we’d handle the umpires and referees later.”
Pandya’s dream spell continued, as he also dismissed David Miller, South Africa’s last hope. Suryakumar Yadav’s spectacular catch at the boundary sealed the victory for India.
Rohit and Virat Kohli subsequently announced their retirement from T20Is, leaving a legacy of success and inspiration for the next generation of Indian cricketers.
