🦋This is the sixth installment of our 12-part cricket series, where we look at some of the most eye-catching and historic storylines of 2024
In the fifth installment of the 12-part series, we saw Kolkata Knight Riders being crowned champions of India after a decade, Virat Kohli, the run machine, and Sai Sudharsan-Shubman Gill’s historic partnership. We now head to Part 6, which showcases the storylines of world cricket from the month of June. (More Cricket News)
JUNE 29 – INDIA WIN THEIR SECOND T20 WORLD CUP
India pulled off a mighty heist in Bridgetown overcoming South Africa by seven runs in a thriller of a final to win their second T20 World Cup title.
ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚVirat Kohli was the Player of the Match for his 76 off 59 deliveries which kept the innings intact even as others in the top-order failed around him.
Axar Patel and Shivam Dube 𝓀chipped in with cameos to take India to a competitive 176/7.
South Africa also lost a couple of early wickets but were put in the driver’s seat by some magnificent counter-attacking batting by Tristan Stubbs and Heinrich Klaasen.
They were on the brink of a famous win with just 30 needed in as many deliveries with six wickets intact. However, Jasprit Bumrah’s brilliance in the 16thand 18th🧜 overs, in which he conceded a combined six runs while also bagging a wicket, turned the match on its head.
🍬The perennial chokers choked again – there was panic in the middle and the South African dressing room – and eventually the Proteas went down by seven runs. It was the same old story for them in ICC World Cups – so near and yet so far.
🌌Jasprit Bumrah was the Player of the Tournament – he returned with 15 wickets in eight matches at an average of 8.26, strike rate of 11.86 and economy of 4.17.
🎀Bumrah was sensational in the powerplay and death where he picked a combined 10 wickets at an economy rate of 4.07 and 3.78 respectively.
JUNE9 –INDIA – 15, PAKISTAN – 1
ཧIndia defeated Pakistan by six runs in a thriller between the two arch-rivals in New York and continued their domination against them.
The win was India’s 15th🍎 victory in 16 World Cup matches against Pakistan. India’s batting was well below-par and the innings folded for 119.
ꦜHowever, Jasprit Bumrah displayed his class (3-14 in 4 overs)and with good support from Hardik Pandya restricted Pakistan to 113/7.
🎀Pakistan were cruising at 73 for 2 needing a run-a-ball for victory. Hardik Pandya dismissed Fakhar Zaman and that was the turning point of the match.
JUNE 22 – AFGHANISTAN STUN AUSTRALIA IN THE T20 WORLD CUP
🃏Afghanistan pulled off the greatest win in their cricketing history beating Australia by 21 runs at Kingstown.
🍷Openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran put together a record 118-run stand but the other batters failed to provide the flourish at the death as the innings culminated at 148/6.
🔜However, some brilliant bowling by pacers Naveen-ul-Haq and Gulbadin Naib, who took seven wickets between them, saw Australia folding for 127 giving Afghanistan a famous win.
⛦They went on to make the semi-finals – their first in an ICC event – before losing to South Africa.
JUNE22 – TWO HAT-TRICKS IN A SINGLE WORLD CUP
🌼Pat Cummins created history in the Caribbean in 2024 as he became the first bowler ever to pick two hat-tricks in a single T20 World Cup edition
ಞCummins saw the back of Mahmudullah, Mahedi Hasan and Towhid Hridoy against Bangladesh in North Sound before getting rid of Rashid Khan, Karim Janat and Gulbadin Naibin Australia’s very next match at Kingstown
Coincidentally, both the hat-tricks were split between the 18th and 20th overs.
JUNE 29 – KOHLI, ROHIT & JADEJA RETIRE FROM T20Is
🌸India’s Big Three – Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja – retired from T20I cricket after India’s sensational victory at the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean.
𒆙Rohit and Kohli ended their careers as the two leading run-getters in the format.
ꦍWhile Kohli boasted of a magnificent average of 48.69, Rohit stood out for his five hundreds –the most along with Glenn Maxwell.
ඣJadeja bagged 54 wickets in 74 matches for India at an impressive economy rate of 7.13.
That concludes part 6 of the 2024 cricket series. The seventh installment will feature James Anderson’s retirement, Zimbabwe’s Pakistan humbling and much more.