T20 World Cup final: India v South Africa – live | T20 World Cup 2024

6th over: India 45-3 (Kohli 25, Axar 58) Power play survived. Now what?

“Hi Tanya, this is quite the start! India out of the blocks like a train but SA doing what they had to really, which is early wickets. And India’s middle order exposed early. Great fielding and all of a sudden it’s the pressure of billions looming large. But then what is a competitive total, 140? 150? India don’t need to keep the foot down as much as not panic. Game on! “

Well, exactly!

5th over: India 39-3 (Kohli 22, Axar 5 ) India have lost their top firepower before the end of the power play. A roar from the crowd when the promoted Axar clips his first ball for four – but it is a muted one. As if someone suddenly dropped a bucket of soapy water over the stands.

Klassen lies on his back and pumps his arms up and down, up and down, after holding onto Suryakumar at fine leg. A typical wafty whip by Sky but this time he found the fielder. Rabada roars.

4th over: India 32-2 (Kohli 21, Suryakumar 2) All eyes now on Kohli, whose world cup has been a tepid one up until now. Maharaj is alert and eyes wide, but drops wide a couple of times and Kohli tucks in – four flying through the covers.

3rd over: India 26-2 (Kohli 15, Suryakumar 2) Suryakumar dices with danger after sending the ball floating just over mid-on to get off the mark.

2nd over: India 23-w (Kohli 14, Suryakumar 0) Maharaj’s first two balls go for four as Rohit continues on his merry way and this looks very much India’s party. But – no. A misjudgement as Rohit sweeps and picks out the fielder and two balls later the sweep does for Pant as well.

The sweep gets Pant as well! as he gets a top edge which floats up and drops obediently into de Kock’s gloves.

Sweeps – but straight to square leg! The big one.

1st over: India 15-0 (Rohit 1, Kohli 14) Rohit gobbles a single off the first ball, then Kohli opens the face and drives Jansen for four off the second. Four more again, clipped off his hip as Jansen loses his line. And one more four for luck, straight down the ground, bisecting the chasing fielders and just beating them into the boundary boards.

Both sides are unchanged, Kohli and Sharma are in the middle, the pitch 22 yards of honey sheen. Marco Jansen throws the ball to himself at the top of his run up. Ready? Here we go…

A couple of cracking anthemsbut one is better supported than the other from within the crowd, which is largely blue shirted Indian supporters.

The trophy is carried out by the prime minster of Barbados Mia Mottley in a yellow shirt and Chris Gayle in a black beret. And here come the anthems!

South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (capt), Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi.

India: Rohit Sharma (capt), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah.

A reminder that neither team has yet lost a match in this competition. Nasser Hussain takes a peek at pitch which is not the crazy paving of the SA-Afghanistan game, more smooth, hard honey. No grass to be seen.

Ravi Shastri, billowing shirt, big green hat, boxing ring manner introduces Aiden Markram and Rohit Sharma – who with arms folded looks underwhelmed by the bluster.

But he’s happy to. have won the toss. “Looks a good pitch. South Africa have played very good cricket in this tournament and so have we so is going to be a good match. Different players have stepped up for us and that is what is required in a team sport.” No changes for India.

Want the pro’s tip? Mark Ramprakash has plumped for Bumrah-fuelled India. “When he comes back for the last couple of overs at the death, I mean, where do you start on how to play him? You can’t go around playing ramp shots because of his slower-ball variations, and his quick ball is really quick. He’s surrounded by good bowlers, but he is India’s X factor.”

A roll-call of past winners:

2007: India

2009: Pakistan

2010: England

2012: West Indies

2014: South Africa

2016: West Indies

2021: Australia

2022: England

A great piece on the man who is the S in cricket’s DLS system:

A gorgeous photo essay to enjoy with your coffee:

Hello! After 27 days, 20 teams, three wash outs, two super overs and a couple of semi-final damp squibs, here we are – Barbados for the big one. The reigning champions were shed in the semi-finals, the losing 2022 finalists sent home in the first round, instead we have cricketing colossus India, who haven’t won this tournament since 2007, and perennial tournament semi-finalists, South Africa, who finally kicked the door down earlier this week.

India wiped the floor with England in the semi-final; South Africa were even more dominant against Afghanistan – albeit on a capricious pitch. Both teams have daemons to fight – India, won’t want to think too deeply about the recent 50-over World Cup final against Australia, South Africa have seven previous ICC competition semi-final defeats under their belt.

Rohit Sharma’s team are clear favourites, but South Africa’s bowling firepower could yet see them through – plus they’ve got the best jerseys. Tropical storm Beryl is expected to become a hurricane before it hits Barbados on Monday, but for now all is calm. They walk out for the toss at 3 o’clock BST, and kicks off at 3.30. Don’t miss it!