Rohit Sharma
was perhaps the most emotionally overwhelmed Indian in Barbados on Saturday after the skipper led India to their second
T20 World Cup
triumph, which also ended an 11-year wait for an ICC silverware since MS Dhoni's team lifted the Champions Trophy in 2013.
The emotional scenes after the thrilling 7-run win over South Africa also had their roots in the fact that India had lost two ICC finals last year to Australia, who won the World Test Championship and the ODI World Cup.
The T20 World Cup win helped Rohit and India realise the dream that the Aussies ended twice.
Emotionally choked and with tears in his eyes, Rohit installed the Indian flag in the middle of the ground in Barbados that made the entire country proud.
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Rohit played perhaps the knock of the tournament when he made 92 in India's win over Australia in the 'Super 8s' match to put the 2021 champions on the brink of elimination. However, in the final on Saturday, he could make only 9.
After opting to bat first, India put up 176 for 7 on the board, thanks to 'Player of the Match'
Virat Kohli
's best knock of the tournament -- a 59-ball 76. He was well assisted by allrounder Axar Patel's 47 in 31 balls.
South Africa lost two early wickets in their run-chase but fashioned a brilliant recovery through
Heinrich Klaasen
(52 off 27 balls) and Quinton de Kock (39 off 31 balls) to take the equation to a run a ball required to win.
But
Hardik Pandya
struck to take the dangerous Klaasen out of the picture as India clawed back into the game.
It was then 'Player of the Tournament' Jasprit Bumrah (2 for 18) in the 18th over who once again made the difference as he gave away just two runs and took a wicket. But the game-changing moment was perhaps the stunning catch at the edge of the boundary by Suryakumar Yadav off Pandya to begin the 20th over that tilted the scales in India's favour decisively.
Pandya, who took 3 for 20, once again turned out to be a hero with the ball as the South African chase ended at 169 for 8.
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