India's T20 World Cup Triumph: Rohit Sharma Hails Axar Patel's 'Game-Changing' Innings

Rohit Sharma Highlights Unsung Hero in T20 World Cup Victory

Following India's momentous triumph at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, Rohit Sharma has acknowledged a pivotal, yet often overlooked, contribution to their final victory against South Africa.

Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma celebrating the T20 World Cup victory.

Speaking to Star Sports, the Indian captain commended his team's resilience, specifically recognizing Axar Patel as the "game changer" in the tense final showdown. While Virat Kohli also received praise, it was Patel's crucial innings that Sharma emphasized as the turning point. India's victory over South Africa at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on June 29, 2024, ended an 11-year wait for an ICC title. This marked their first T20 World Cup title since the inaugural edition in 2007 and their first ICC trophy since the 2013 Champions Trophy.

India, batting first, set a target of 176/7, propelled by Kohli's steady performance and a vital counter-attacking knock from Patel during the middle overs. Despite a promising start, South Africa fell short in a gripping chase, finishing at 169/8.

Reflecting on the final, Sharma stated, "Not many people are talking about his (Axar's) knock. But, that knock was a game changer. To get 47 off 31 in that time was very very crucial."

Axar’s aggressive 47, scored off just 31 deliveries, including crucial boundaries, significantly shifted the momentum in India’s favor during a shaky period. His partnership with Kohli provided stability to the innings before contributions from Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube added the finishing touches.

Sharma also lauded Kohli's role in anchoring the innings: "And then obviously we needed one guy to stick around. Virat did that job perfectly. Batted the entire innings throughout, which was really good, because Shivam, Axar, Hardik, they can come and play their role."

Kohli’s composed 76 off 59 balls in the crucial match earned him the Player of the Match award. The Indian bowling attack, spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, displayed composure in the final overs, ultimately securing the long-awaited ICC title and ending India’s trophy drought in major global tournaments.