It had been a long wait for Team India and its fans. The last time India clinched an ICC title was in 2013, when Mahendra Singh Dhoni's side won the Champions Trophy, defeating England in a rain-delayed match on their home turf. At that moment, no one could have imagined India would endure an 11-year wait for their next major trophy. The talent was never in question; India consistently reached the knock-out rounds but often fell short due to crucial lapses in play or being outplayed at critical junctures.

On Saturday, June 29, a Rohit Sharma-led Indian team finally ensured the performances remained clinical and that the luck was with them, as they ended the winless streak, clinching the T20 World Cup title with a dramatic win over South Africa. It was a game not for the faint-hearted; at one point, a Proteas win looked almost inevitable. They required run-a-ball 30, then 26 off the last 24 deliveries. Then, Jasprit Bumrah show began.

Considered one of the best pacers in modern-day cricket, Bumrah displayed, yet again, why he deserves that tag. He conceded only two runs off his over while picking a wicket to set a significant cushion for Arshdeep Singh and Hardik Pandya to do the job and deliver India a famous win.

This was India's second T20 World Cup title; the side won its first 17 years ago under MS Dhoni's captaincy, too. And so, it was almost poetic when, almost two hours after the win, the inaugural tournament-winning captain laid out his raw emotions for the world to read and cherish. Dhoni, who is far from active on social media platforms, posted on his official Instagram account to pay tribute to Rohit's winning men.

‘Captain Cool’ he may be on the field, but Dhoni admitted that watching as a fan, even he couldn't suppress feeling butterflies when South African batters launched an onslaught on Indian bowlers. “My heart rate was up; well done on being calm, having the self-belief and doing what u guys did,” Dhoni wrote for Team India.

“From all the Indians back home and everywhere in the world a big thank you for bringing the World Cup Home. CONGRATULATIONS. arreeee thanks for the priceless birthday gift,” Dhoni wrote further.

Dhoni's birthday is on July 7. Indeed, it was the best birthday gift a former Indian captain could've asked for. He finally has company in Rohit Sharma as the second skipper from the country to lift the T20 World Cup title!

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India enjoyed an unbeaten run in the 2024 edition, becoming the first side to go an entire T20 World Cup campaign undefeated. Rohit Sharma's men began their journey at the World Cup with a fine win over Ireland before making a fightback similar to the one in the final in the group game against Pakistan. After cruising past the United States and a washout against Canada, India decimated the likes of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Australia in the Super Eight to set up a semi-final rematch against England.

There were no nerves whatsoever in the camp, however, as India pulled out their A-game again, crushing the English side by 68 runs. In the final, Virat Kohli (76) shined with the bat at last after a rare below-par outing, while Axar Patel (47) also produced a brilliant performance after the side's top-order collapse to take India to a fighting score.

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