Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Undefeated India, South Africa clash in T20 World Cup final

Ahed of the final, both teams have had flawless campaigns and secured comprehensive victories in the semi-finals.

Undefeated India, South Africa clash in T20 World Cup final

India will aim to end their global title drought, while South Africa seeks to shed their 'chokers' tag at Kensington Oval on Saturday in the T20 World Cup final.

Both teams have had flawless campaigns and secured comprehensive victories in the semi-finals, ensuring that the tournament's best two sides have made it to the final in Bridgetown.


South Africa halted Afghanistan's fairytale run in the first semi-final in Trinidad, while India ended England's title defence in Guyana, marking India's third consecutive final in a global event across all formats.

India captain Rohit Sharma hopes his team, who lost in the finals of the World Test Championship and the 50-over World Cup last year, will succeed this time.

Both Rohit, 37, and Virat Kohli, 35, might be playing their last T20 World Cup, and winning the trophy would be an ideal farewell for them.

India seem well-prepared with a solid game plan and the necessary personnel.

Rohit's batting at the top of the order reflects India's approach, which focuses on collective attacking efforts rather than relying on a single match-winning performance.

India's three-pronged spin attack has been effective in the latter stages of the tournament, and pace bowler Jasprit Bumrah has been outstanding.

Rohit attributes their success to maintaining a calm dressing room. "We do understand the occasion but for us it's important to keep calm and composed," he said. "That helps us make good decisions. We need to make good decisions through the 40 overs."

Kohli's recent struggle for runs is a concern, but Rohit is confident in his partner's abilities. "We understand his class. When you have played for 15 years, form is never a problem," he said. "He's probably saving it for the final."

South Africa, reaching their first World Cup final in any format after seven semi-final exits, will also face a test of nerves. Their pace attack has consistently performed, compensating for any batting failures.

Opener Quinton de Kock has leveraged his Caribbean Premier League experience, and the team has significant batting power in the middle order.

Captain Aiden Markram, who has led South Africa to 10 consecutive wins, emphasises the personal motivation in reaching the final. "It's a personal and individual motivation that you get to a final, to earn the opportunity to hopefully lift the trophy," Markram said.

"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 ..."

Squads:

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sanju Samson, Mohammed Siraj, Yashasvi Jaiswal.

South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wk), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (c), Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi, Ottneil Baartman, Gerald Coetzee, Bjorn Fortuin, Ryan Rickelton.

(With inputs from Agencies)

More For You

Priyanka Chopra turns heads at brother’s wedding with £1.2M necklace

Priyanka Chopra shares a heartfelt moment with brother Siddharth Chopra on Sangeet night, dazzling in a stunning Rahul Mishra ensemble and exquisite Bvlgari jewelry.

Instagram/priyankachopra

Priyanka Chopra turns heads at brother’s wedding with £1.2M necklace

Priyanka Chopra, Bollywood’s reigning queen who’s taking the world by storm, is currently basking in the joy of her brother Siddharth Chopra’s wedding to actress Neelam Upadhyaya in India. The pre-wedding celebrations have been a glittering spectacle, and Priyanka, as always, has been the epitome of elegance and poise. At the Mehendi-cum-Sangeet bash, she was truly a vision in a bespoke floral masterpiece by designer Rahul Mishra, but it was her jaw-dropping jewelry that truly stole the spotlight.

Priyanka slipped into a strapless, gem-encrusted gown dripping with intricate floral patterns, exuding pure charm and sophistication. But the real showstopper? A breathtaking Bvlgari necklace that could make even the stars jealous. Crafted in pink gold and encrusted with diamonds, the necklace featured seven pear-shaped morganites, six cushion-cut mandarin garnets, and nine cabochon amethysts. Fashion experts over at Diet Sabya pegged its value at a jaw-dropping 11,04,346.44 pounds basically wearing a fortune around her neck!

Keep ReadingShow less
New body led by Sir Sajid Javid aims to amplify ‘unheard’ voices
Sajid Javid

New body led by Sir Sajid Javid aims to amplify ‘unheard’ voices

A NEW independent commission to improve cohesion would engage across all nations and regions of the UK by moving beyond Westminster-centric discussions and include more diverse voices, the director of British Future thinktank has said.

Sunder Katwala said building confidence across different groups will be a priority, as economic pressures and tensions due to Middle East conflict have polarised communities in the UK.

Keep ReadingShow less
Yarl’s-Wood-detention-centre-Getty

In 2018, she was detained at Yarl’s Wood detention centre after being told she would be deported. (Photo: Getty Images)

Court awards £100,000 to Pakistani asylum seeker over unlawful detention

A PAKISTANI asylum seeker has been awarded nearly £100,000 after a UK court ruled that she was unlawfully detained and subjected to breaches of her rights by the Home Office.

Nadra Almas, who arrived in the UK on a student visa in 2004, overstayed after her visa expired. She argued that returning to Pakistan would put her at risk as a Christian.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pakistan court gives unusual punishment to Youtuber Rajab Butt for owning lion cub

Pakistani zookeeper Mohammad Amir holds the confiscated lion cub at Lahore’s safari zoo last Tuesday (28)

Pakistan court gives unusual punishment to Youtuber Rajab Butt for owning lion cub

A PAKISTANI YouTube star who was gifted a lion cub on his wedding day avoided jail after promising a judge to upload animal rights videos for a year.

Rajab Butt has one of the largest online followings in south Asia, and his week-long nuptials in December were plastered over celebrity gossip websites.

Keep ReadingShow less
Theft and violence in retail shops hit record high in 2024

The Labour government has pledged to address the rise in retail crime through stronger measures to tackle shoplifting and anti-social behaviour

iStock

Theft and violence in retail shops hit record high in 2024

THEFT and violence against retail workers in Britain soared to record levels last year, driven partly by criminal gangs, and are “out of control”, according to a report last Thursday (30).

The British Retail Consortium's annual crime survey found that more than 20 million thefts occurred in the year to August 31, 2024 – an average of 55,000 a day – costing retailers £2.2 billion.

Keep ReadingShow less