India's victory in the T20 World Cup 2024 was a momentous occasion, filled with thrilling matches and unforgettable moments. Among these, a light-hearted incident during the high-stakes match against Pakistan has recently come to light, thanks to Indian captain Rohit Sharma.
Sharma revealed a hilarious moment that occurred during the toss before the India-Pakistan match. The atmosphere was electric, with the stadium packed and the energy palpable. Ravi Shastri, the former Indian coach, was adding to the excitement with his enthusiastic commentary during the pre-toss build-up. Shastri's energetic description of the face-off between the two teams seemed to have an unusual effect on Sharma.
According to Sharma, Shastri was in full form, creating a vibrant atmosphere. Sharma humorously mimicked Shastri, saying, "‘I'll tell you what is happening. Look at him. In the blue, it's Rohit Sharma ready to punch. In the green, it's ready to counterpunch. These all things were happening there, so obviously, it's fun."
In the midst of all the excitement and Shastri's energetic presence, Sharma completely forgot that he was holding the coin for the toss. "In the middle of everything, Ravi Shastri's energy and all the noise—I forgot the coin that I had for the toss!" Sharma confessed. He appeared visibly confused when asked to flip the coin, momentarily looking towards the match referee for guidance.
It was then that Pakistan captain Babar Azam, standing beside Sharma, noticed the confusion. Azam cheekily reminded Sharma that the coin was in his pocket. In fact, Azam had even asked the match referee for the coin before realizing that Sharma had it all along. This prompted laughter all around, diffusing some of the tension before the crucial match. Sharma himself had a sheepish grin, and even Babar Azam couldn't help but laugh at the comical situation.
Despite the light-hearted moment before the game, the match itself was a nail-biting affair. India, after being put in to bat by Pakistan, managed to score only 119 runs. However, the Indian bowlers, led by Jasprit Bumrah, put up a brilliant performance, restricting Pakistan to 113 and securing a narrow six-run victory. Bumrah's exceptional spell of 3/14 proved to be the turning point of the match, earning him the Player of the Match award.
The win against Pakistan was a crucial one in India's journey to the T20 World Cup title. India went on to defeat South Africa in the final, winning by seven runs and successfully defending a target of 176. Virat Kohli starred in the final, scoring 76 off 59 balls, a welcome return to form after a quiet tournament.
Rohit Sharma's leadership throughout the tournament was commendable. He led from the front, both with his captaincy and his batting. He finished the tournament as the second-highest run-getter, with 257 runs in eight innings at an average of 36.71. His most notable performance was a brilliant 92 against Australia in the Super 8s.
Following India's triumph, Rohit Sharma was named captain of the ICC Men's T20I Team of the Year 2024. He was also praised for his astute leadership, which was instrumental in guiding a young Indian side through high-pressure situations. Alongside Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Arshdeep Singh were also included in the ICC's T20I Team of the Year.
