India and South Africa, unbeaten throughout nearly a month of cricket across the USA and the Caribbean, are set to face off at the Kensington Oval on Saturday in the T20 World Cup final. Both teams are looking to end long waits for glory.
The tournament, which has seen varying levels of quality, entertainment, and attendances, has succeeded in setting up a final between the two best teams in the shortest format.
India crushed defending champions England by 68 runs in Guyana on Thursday, a day after South Africa thrashed Afghanistan by nine wickets in Trinidad, ending a long and agonizing wait for a title game.
This final marks South Africa’s first senior men’s final since the inaugural Champions Trophy in Bangladesh in 1998, where the Proteas beat the West Indies. Over the years, critics have labeled them as ‘chokers,’ questioning how a nation producing so many talented players has been unable to make a final for 26 years.
Skipper Aiden Markram, part of the team beaten by Australia in the ODI World Cup last year, said the players haven’t focused on past near-misses. “We haven’t spoken about it, to be honest. I think it’s a personal and individual motivation that you get to a final; to earn the opportunity to hopefully lift the trophy,” he said after the win over Afghanistan.
Reflecting on the team’s journey, Markram noted, “You reflect back to five months ago we couldn’t get over the line in that semi-final and you look at (here) a few things went our way. We managed to win the game and we found ourselves in the final.”
South Africa’s performance in this tournament has shown no lack of belief. They topped Group D with a 100% record, including wins over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. In the Super Eights, they won all three games, defeating England, co-hosts West Indies, and the USA.
“This team’s been together for a long time now as a white ball group, both formats. We feel and we believe that we can compete with the best in the world and we can win trophies. And it’s nice for us to now have that opportunity,” Markram said.
“You do get belief though from winning close games and potentially winning games that you thought you weren’t going to win. It does a lot for your changing room and the vibe in the changing room. So, we’ll take a little bit of confidence from that and see if we can put it to any use in the final,” he added.
India, looking to banish the memory of their loss to Australia in the 50-over World Cup final on home soil last year, have been consistent in their performances. Despite being the epicentre of T20 cricket through the Indian Premier League, their only triumph in this competition came 17 years ago. India’s last trophy was the Champions Trophy in 2013.
Captain Rohit Sharma emphasized the team’s calm approach. “We’ve been very calm. We understand the occasion of the final. It’s important we stay composed, because that helps you make good decisions. We have been very steady, calm, and that has been the key for us,” he said.
India’s spinners were pivotal against England, with left-armers Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel taking three wickets each. Fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah also remains a key asset.
Rohit Sharma, 37, and fellow opener Virat Kohli, 35, are seeking glory in what could be their final tournament. While Rohit has been the top run-scorer with 248 runs, Kohli has struggled with just 75 runs in seven innings but has the perfect stage to turn his form around.
The historic Kensington Oval, home of West Indies cricket, is expected to have a large contingent of Indian supporters, creating an electric atmosphere for the final showdown.
