For Rohit Sharma, the turning moment in India’s victory at the T20I World Cup 2024 final against South Africa came in the dying seconds when Suryakumar Yadav took a stunning catch near the boundary. South Africa, chasing 177, needed 16 runs off the final over, with David Miller on strike. Hardik Pandya was tasked with the final over, and Miller, who was aiming for a boundary, smashed the first ball down the ground. As the ball flew, Yadav sprinted, timed his leap to perfection, and plucked it meticulously to dismiss dangerous Miller.
“The umpires sent it upstairs, and they were checking whether Surya caught the ball or not, and everyone's hearts were in their mouths. I thought it had been smashed. Because I was at [long-on], I was standing opposite Surya. I am seeing '10 needed off five balls', but then I saw that it's coming to Surya,” Rohit told JioHotstar.
"It would have taken a blinder to take that catch. It would have taken a lot of effort to take that catch. Because when it was in the air, it looked like it'll cross the rope easily. But the way the wind was blowing, that pulled the ball a little bit into the ground. It pulled the ball a little bit behind. I think so.
"I was standing with Surya when they were checking the catch, and I told him, 'You only tell me. No, no, I caught it.' But then I saw him on the side telling someone, 'Maybe, I don't know. But I caught it'. And then they showed the zoom camera, and when the ball or feet touch the boundary rope, it moves, but nothing happened. So we were a little happy. But unless it comes on the board, you don’t know what the third umpire is thinking," Rohit said.
India won the T20I World Cup by 7 runs, restricting South Africa to 169/8 in 20 overs. For South Africa, Heinrich Klaasen was top scorer with 52. For India, it was Virat Kohli’s astonishing knock of 76 off 59 that powered the side to a fighting total of 177/7 in 20 overs.