3 reasons why South Africa are favorites to win 2024 T20 World Cup final
The much-awaited 2024 T20 World Cup final is only hours away as Team India get set to take on South Africa in Barbados on June 29. Both teams enter the clash unbeaten thus far in the tournament.
While the Men in Blue romped into the finale with a 68-run hammering of England, the Proteas did an even bigger number on Afghanistan in their semifinal. Aiden Markram's unit bundled the Afghans out for a paltry total of 56 before chasing it down in a mere 8.5 overs.
It will be the third T20 World Cup final for India, who split their first two with a win in 2007 and a loss in 2014. As for South Africa, it will be their maiden appearance in a World Cup final (ODI or T20).
India will also play in a third consecutive ICC event final, having played at this stage in the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup last year.
All this has most fans and experts picking Rohit Sharma's Men as the heavy favorites for the South Africa clash. India holds a favorable 4-2 edge against South Africa in T20 World Cup meetings.
Yet, the African giants have already proved several skeptics wrong during their final run in the tournament and have reasons to believe they are the favorites for this contest.
On that note, let us look at three reasons South Africa are favorites to emerge victorious in the 2024 T20 World Cup final.
#1 South Africa's clean slate over India's recent final struggles
So much of sports comes down to the mental and psychological edge one team has over the other when it comes to a final. In that sense, South Africa playing in their first-ever World Cup final compared to India's recent struggles at this stage could work in their favor.
Sure, India could make a case with their experience but since their triumph in the 2013 Champions Trophy, finals have not been kind to them. The side has lost their previous five ICC finals across formats, often under similar circumstances of dominating the tournament until this stage.
Just last year, Rohit Sharma's Men suffered two heartbreaking losses in the World Test Championship and ODI World Cup final. Meanwhile, South Africa overcame a similar wrecked history in the semifinal and the final is uncharted territory for them, which could act as an advantage.
The lone ICC final the Proteas men's senior side played was way back in the 1998 Champions Trophy which ended in joy. Thus, considering India's recent history, the mental edge should be a tick in South Africa's direction.
#2 South Africa have reversed the 'chokers' narrative with a series of clutch wins in the ongoing World Cup
South Africa have often boasted the most formidable side on paper only to fall prey to expectations in World Cups. The main reason behind their struggles in past World Cups was their inability to win close matches and collapse under duress.
Yet, the current side has reversed that trend by repeatedly coming up clutch in all the games that came down to the wire in the Group and Super Eight stages. After a relatively comfortable win over Sri Lanka in their tournament opener, the Proteas won a hattrick of nerve-wracking finishes against the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and Nepal.
The trend continued in the Super Eights as the South Africans withstood a late surge from the USA and England in the final overs before pulling off a final-over run-chase in a do-or-die virtual quarterfinal against co-hosts West Indies.
Should the final against India again come down to the final few overs with the game in the balance, South Africa will almost feel like it is par for the course. That they have won all their close finishes while batting first and chasing boosts their chances further against Rohit Sharma's Men.
#3 Recent T20I results against India and the 'Aiden Markram' factor
While each tournament is its own entity, recent results against a particular opponent play a part going into the contest. As dominant as Team India have been across formats in the last few years, they have struggled against the Proteas in T20Is in recent meetings.
South Africa have won three of the previous four T20Is between the sides, including a five-wicket win the last time they met India in a T20 World Cup in 2022. The core of both teams in these clashes have been similar, indicating that Markram's men have a template in place to outdo the Indians in the shortest format.
Coming to Markram, his overall World Cup and recent record as captain is as stunning as any in modern cricket. Under him, South Africa won all six games to triumph in the 2014 Under-19 World Cup.
The 29-year-old them led the Proteas twice in Temba Bavuma's absence in the ODI World Cup last year and they emerged victorious on both occasions. Add to that his heroics of leading the SunRisers Eastern Cape to back-to-back titles in the first two editions of the SA 20.
It makes his captaining South Africa to eight consecutive wins thus far in the ongoing T20 World Cup anything but a blip.
Such an impeccable captaincy record makes it extremely hard to bet against Markram leading South Africa to ultimate glory for the first time in their otherwise wrecked World Cup history.