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• India win T20 World Cup with thrilling final victory over South Africa

  India ended their 17-year wait to win the T20 World Cup as they edged out South Africa by seven runs in a thrilling final in Barbados.

  Saturday's match went right to the wire with South Africa requiring 16 runs from the final over, but Hardik Pandya clinched a hat-trick with the late dismissals of David Miller and Kagiso Rabada as the Proteas lost their nerve.

  Virat Kohli had earlier smashed 76 runs off 59 balls, comfortably his best score of the tournament, to help India set a daunting target of 177 – the highest ever in a men's T20 World Cup final.

  Kohli's innings came to an end in the penultimate over as he swung Rabada's delivery straight to Marco Jansen at long-on, after partner Axar Patel (47) was run out by Quinton de Kock.

  That knock proved to be the title clincher, though, as the India bowlers provided able support to their batsmen.

  South Africa were reduced to 12-2 within the first three overs as Jasprit Bumrah sent wickets flying with a brilliant outswinger to beat Reeza Hendricks (4) and Arsheep Singh had Aiden Markram (4) caught behind by Rishabh Pant.

  If India thought they would be able to defend their total in comfort, however, they were mistaken.

  Heinrich Klaasen slammed 52 off 27 balls with support from De Kock (39) and Tristan Stubbs (31), to take them close.

  Thirty runs from as many deliveries was the target at one point, but Klaasen nicked Pandya's ball through to Pant in the 17th over and Bumrah followed up by dismissing Jansen for two.

  The tail was unable to provide the heroics for South Africa, desperate final-over swings from Miller (21) and Rabada (4) going unrewarded as Pandya finished with an efficient 3-20.

  Kohli picks his moment

  Kohli has not been on top form throughout this tournament, 37 versus Bangladesh his best score until this point with five of his innings bringing single-digit tallies.

  He stepped up when it mattered most, though, becoming just the third player to make a half-century in multiple T20 World Cup finals, having made 77 in India's 2014 loss to Sri Lanka (also Marlon Samuels and Kumar Sangakkara).

  After being presented with the Man-of-the-Match award, Kohli suggested he will not play at the next edition of the tournament in 2026. If his T20I career is over, he certainly went out on a high.

  Klaasen's historic knock in vain

  South Africa ran India close despite being tasked with chasing the best total ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final, and that was mostly due to Klaasen's efforts.

  He made his half-century in 23 balls, the fastest 50 in a T20 World Cup final. He obliterated the previous record, Mitchell Marsh's 31-ball half-century for Australia in 2021.

  Long wait over for India

  Most observers would agree India are fitting champions, having marked themselves out as the best team at the tournament during the last few weeks.

  It is their first T20 World Cup crown since they won the inaugural edition in 2007, and they have joined England and West Indies as the only teams to triumph more than once (two titles each).

• Emerging Ireland complete 2-0 four-day series sweep over West Indies Academy with dominant 10-wicket win in Belfast

  Emerging Ireland completed a 2-0 sweep of their four-day games against the West Indies Academy with a 10-wicket win at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast on Friday.

  The Academy entered day four 148-3 off 28 overs, needing a further 93 runs to make their Irish counterparts have to chase a target.

  The tourists were eventually bowled out for 268 in 73.3 overs, leaving Emerging Ireland needing just 28 to win.

  Ackeem Auguste, who started the day 70*, was eventually dismissed for a 154-ball 93 including 14 fours while Carlon Bowen-Tuckett made 41 against 5-44 off 17 overs from Matthew Humphreys.

  The hosts then needed only 3.5 overs to reach 30-0 with James McCollum and Andrew Balbirnie finishing 14* and 13*, respectively.

  Full Scores:

  West Indies Academy 200 off 56 overs (Teddy Bishop 69, Nyeem Young 29, Jewel Andrew 27, Ackeem Auguste 26, Matthew Humphreys 5-57, Curtis Campher 3-12) & 268 all out off 73.3 overs (Ackeem Auguste 93, Carlon Bowen-Tuckett 41, Kadeem Alleyne 38, Matthew Humphreys 5-44)

  Emerging Ireland 441 all out off 112.5 overs (Andrew Balbirnie 88, Fionn Hand 79, Andy McBrine 64, Paul Stirling 32, Teddy Bishop 2-35, Nyeem Young 2-55, Kelvin Pittman 2-65, Joshua Bishop 2-72) & 30-0 off 3.5 overs

   

• One to savour: South Africa, India T20 World Cup final hard to call

  We are at the end of what has been a brilliant ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 – and we have a final fit for the occasion.

  India and South Africa have both played excellent cricket and really deserve their place in Barbados this weekend. It is going to be so hard to call – with two teams who have played clean and aggressive cricket throughout the tournament.

  India are going to be so hard to beat. They bat so deep and in Jasprit Bumrah, have a world-class death bowler who can break the hearts of the opponents. In contrast, I picked South Africa as a dark horse before the tournament began, and it is very special to see them finally reach their first final after so many semi-final upsets.

  Getting over the hump and winning a World Cup is so special and if they can do it, it will create memories that will last a lifetime for the players and the nation.

  

  I have won the T20 World Cup on two occasions, and they are among the most special experiences I have in life – let alone cricket.

  I have so many treasured items from my career but my two rings for winning World Cups are the standouts. They are like Super Bowl rings, almost physical proof that you have climbed to the top of the mountain and become champions of the world.

  When she’s older, I will give both of my rings – for being part of the West Indies sides that won the T20 World Cups in 2012 and 2016 – to my daughter and I can’t wait for that moment.

  I will tell her to keep one, and then pass the other one down to my future grandchildren, and I’m so proud to keep them in our family for generations.

  Barbados is going to be at its regal best for the final and the build-up to the match has brought back so many memories of our special day in 2012. But before I get to that, it’s worth pointing out that it’s the journey to get to a final that truly forms a team and their identity.

  We played New Zealand in the final match of the Super 8s, and it went down to a Super Over – with the winner going through to the semi-final. I knew I had to be brave when I went out to bat, and I was lucky enough to thrive in situations where the pressure was most intense.

  

  I smacked the first ball for six, and in that moment I knew we’d go on, win the match and the tournament.

  We played against Sri Lanka, the host nation, in the final and we really struggled. But Marlon Samuels played one of the innings of his life and we posted an okay total on a low-scoring pitch. Our bowlers then did the rest.

  When that final Sri Lankan wicket fell, and it was an indescribable moment. At first, I think I felt relief more than anything and then just pure joy. I didn’t actually sleep that night, I think I was up for 24 hours after winning it. We went for a photoshoot the next morning and I don’t think I want to see the pictures! We were so tired but so content with life at the same time.

  I had a good tournament in 2012 and finished as the fourth-highest run-scorer in six innings.

  Four years on, we were lucky enough to do it again and Carlos Brathwaite played that remarkable innings against England. Remember the name? In so many ways, it was more phenomenal to win it again – but I think experience counts for so much in finals. It’s why India will be so confident on Sunday.

  Whoever comes out on top, they will join a select group of people who can call themselves a Men’s T20 World Cup champion. I promise the winners, it’s the most amazing feeling in the world.