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T20 World Cup: Axar Patel Steps Up As Underrated Yet Crucial Cog In India’s Title Triumph
Amid plenty of accolades being showered on Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, and Hardik Pandya for shining in India’s seven-run win over South Africa in the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup final, one should not forget Axar Patel’s crucial knock of 47 off 31 balls. At Kensington Oval, India lost Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Suryakumar Yadav for 34 runs in the power-play. That’s when Axar was promoted up the order as a pinch-hitter and took on South Africa’s spin duo of Tabraiz Shamsi and Keshav Maharaj.
His 47 off 31 balls, laced with a four and four sixes at a strike-rate of 151.61, was the perfect partner to Kohli’s innings of 76. There was a phase where Kohli relied more on strike rotation and Axar became the much-needed aggressive counterpuncher to keep India’s scoreboard ticking as they eventually made 176/7, the highest total in a T20 World Cup final.
