Rohit: Suryakumar's catch was the highlight of the 2024 T20 World Cup final
Rohit: Suryakumar's catch was the highlight of the 2024 T20 World Cup final
India’s 2024 T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma shared behind-the-scenes emotions after Suryakumar Yadav’s famous catch of David Miller at long-off in the title clash against South Africa.
India’s triumph in the 2024 T20 World Cup final was capped by a moment of brilliance that’s now a chase in cricketing folklore. With South Africa needing 16 runs off the final over and the dangerous David Miller on strike, Suryakumar Yadav produced what Rohit Sharma described as “the moment” of the match a gravity-defying catch at the boundary that turned the game.
Miller had just hit a full toss from Hardik Pandya, and it seemed like he had cleared the boundary. However, Suryakumar dashed in from long-off and caught the ball in mid-air. He threw it back acrobatically as he went over the rope and then dived back inside to make the catch. What followed was a tense moment as the third umpire checked the play even Rohit admitted he couldn't watch. The catch was valid, and with that, India tightened their defence, allowing only eight runs in the final over, securing a seven-run victory and their second T20 World Cup title.
Reflecting on the match in a memorial video a year later, Rohit admitted he feared the worst when India slumped early in their innings. After a blistering start 23 runs in the first eight balls with crisp boundaries from Kohli and Rohit disaster struck. Keshav Maharaj’s double blow in the second over removed Rohit and Rishabh Pant, and Kagiso Rabada followed up by dismissing Suryakumar, reducing India to a shaky 3 for 34 inside the powerplay.
Rohit described the scene inside the dressing room as tense, even admitting he was “panicking”. But he maintained faith in the middle and lower orders’ ability to bounce back, even if they hadn’t had much time out in the middle throughout the tournament.
Axar Patel then stepped up with a clutch knock of 47 off 31, stitching together a 72-run partnership with Kohli that resurrected India’s innings. Later, Kohli added 57 more with Shivam Dube, helping India post a challenging 176.
Kohli’s performance was especially touching. Having struggled through the tournament with only 75 runs in seven games, he rose to the occasion when it mattered most. His 76 off 59 balls anchored the innings and earned him the Player of the Match. Rohit lauded Kohli’s composure, noting that the veteran’s ability to stay focused and grounded despite his earlier failures helped guide the team through a tricky phase.
As Rohit put it, “We needed one guy to stick around and Virat did that job perfectly.” That calm presence gave India’s aggressive lower order the freedom to play their roles without fear.
In the end, it was a match of fine margins and unforgettable moments from Axar’s unsung rescue act to Suryakumar’s catch-of-a-lifetime. India’s campaign had its share of anxious starts and thrilling finishes, but under pressure, they found their heroes and delivered a champion’s finish worthy of the occasion.