Our Cup of T

Rohit Sharma is ecstatic after India’s victory on Saturday

Heinrich Klaasen produced one of the great World Cup final innings but matches and tournaments are won on the strength of the collective, on self-belief and hunger, on undying ambition.

Seemingly down and out for nearly three-fourths of South Africa's run chase at the Kensington Oval on Saturday, India roared back through their talisman Jasprit Bumrah, with no little support from Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya, to close out a scarcely believable seven runs.

Virat Kohli during his 76 against SA at Barbados on Saturday. Pics/Getty Images

Virat Kohli's first substantial contribution of the T20 World Cup, a patchy 76 that began in a blaze of boundaries and ended likewise, helped India post 176 for seven after Rohit Sharma opted to bat first. It was perhaps a few too short, and despite the cheap dismissals of Reeza Hendricks and skipper Aiden Markram, South Africa kept attacking through Quinton de Kock, Tristan Stubbs and Klaasen, who took India's spinners down on his way to a 23-ball half-century.

A 24-run over against Axar Patel reduced South Africa's target to 30 in the last five overs with six wickets in hand. It was South Africa's game to lose when, in a last, desperate and only throw of the dice available to him, Rohit brought back Bumrah.

Also Read: 'Bharat mata ki jai'

In an outstanding second spell of 2-0-6-1, Bumrah tightened the screws after Pandya had provided the breakthrough, having Klaasen caught behind to an ambitious waft. Klaasen's dismissal lifted Indian spirits and they came roaring back, their fielding perking up and the bowling spot on.

It came down to 16 off the last over from Pandya, with David Miller on strike. The first ball was a full toss which the left-hander mishit. Suryakumar Yadav made great ground to his left at long-off, caught the ball, balanced himself superbly, then threw the ball up in the air as he was crossing the field and play and nonchalantly came back in to pouch it again. It was a fantastic catch under great pressure, speaking to great presence of mind and smart decision-making; Pandya closed out the over superbly and India were home and dry, snatching a most exceptional win from the gaping jaws of defeat as the Protest subsided to 169 for eight.

India had made a crackerjack start in the morning, blazing to five fours off the first eight deliveries with Kohli looking a million dollars until Keshav Maharaj returned the Proteas into the contest with the scalps of Rohit and Rishabh Pant in the space of three deliveries in the second over. India were further pegged back with Rabada accounting for Suryakumar. Suddenly, Kohli's fluency deserted him as he went 35 deliveries at one stage without a boundary, though the promoted Axar and Shivam Dube ensured the score board didn't come to a total halt.