Indian players celebrating 2007 and 2024 T20 World Cups [GettyImages]
India won their second T20 World Cup after a long wait of 17 years despite making it to multiple knockouts and a final in 2014 as they defeated South Africa by 7 runs in Barbados. The similarities between the two triumphs are uncanny, right from the contributions of openers to all-rounders to the pacers.
After Rohit Sharma led the Indian side to international glory at last, many parallels are being drawn between the two triumphant finals that India played within a gap of 17 years.
Here Are Some Astonishing Parallels Between 2007 & 2024 Wins
Openers are the top-scorers
Virat Kohli led the Indian batting as he made a vital contribution of 76(59), similar to his Player Of The Match winning knock, another Indian opener, Gautam Gambhir top scored in Johannesburg in 2007 where he scored 75(54).
Left-handed batter contributing 47 runs in the highest partnership
A left-handed batter, Gambhir also added 47 runs in India's biggest partnership in 2007 when he stitched a 63-run stand with Yuvraj Singh. Just like that, another Indian left-hander, Axar Patel added the same amount of runs (47) in the team's biggest partnership, adding 72(54) with Kohli.
98 Runs in 13 Overs
The next parallel that can be drawn is, at the 13 over point, with the bat, both times, India found themselves with 98 runs on the board.
Number Six with effective cameos
In both triumphs, India's number 6 batters, Rohit Sharma and Shivam Dube played 16 balls cameos, scoring 30 and 26 runs respectively.
Left-arm pacer dismissing captain and wicket-keeper
The southpaw, Arshdeep Singh dismissed the opposition captain, Aiden Markram, and wicketkeeper, Quinton De Kock just like other left-arm pacers, Irfan Pathan and RP Singh from 2007 who dismissed opposition captain, Shoaib Malik, and wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal respectively.
Indian spinner bowling the most expensive over
The most expensive over of the final came from an Indian spinner. Harbhajan Singh conceded 19 runs in an over, similar to Axar Patel who was taken on by Heinrich Klaasen for a 24-run over.
Least experienced Indian pacer impress with the ball
Indian pacers with the least international experience, Joginder Sharma in 2007 and Arshdeep in 2024 bowled 12 dot balls each while both scalping 2 wickets in their crucial spells.
The Death-over similarities
The Indian bowlers dismissed four opposition batters in the death overs in both finals while also conceding 8 sixes in the innings on both occasions.
The last wicket falling to a catch
The final wickets in both the finals, Misbah ul Haq and Kagiso Rabada were dismissed with a catch, both in the final over to an Indian pacer.