Cheers and prayers in India as T20 World Cup cricket final begins

Fans in blue India jerseys erupted into cheers at a sports bar in New Delhi on Saturday as Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first against South Africa in the blockbuster T20 World Cup final in Barbados, hoping their long title drought was about to end.

India's last major international tournament win was the 2013 Champions Trophy and they have since faltered in the knockout stages of International Cricket Council events, despite being ranked number one in both T20s and one-day internationals (ODIs) and number two in Tests.

Rohit and his team came agonisingly close to winning the one-day ICC World Cup at home last year but lost to Australia in the final at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad.

Like India, South Africa are so far unbeaten in the ninth edition of the tournament, raising the prospect of a nail-biting finale.

Fans react as they watch live telecast of T20 World Cup final match in New Delhi on Saturday. AFP

"Lot of anxiety, I had a few drinks before coming over here," Anuj Kullar, a 40-year-old Delhi hotelier, told AFP. "I hope it's not a repeat of 2019," he said of India's World Cup semi-final defeat that year.

But 11-year-old Vir Madan — who was not yet born when India last tasted ICC success — was confident: "There is hope, no fear. India will win."

News channels repeatedly showed images on Saturday of fans holding Hindu fire rituals to urge the gods to take the team to victory over South Africa, who are playing in their first World Cup men's final.

Some featured pictures bedecked with flower garlands of Rohit, who has hit three half-centuries in the tournament, holding the World Cup trophy.

Indian cricket fans pose for a photo before the final match. Reuters

India knocked out defending champions England in the semi-final in Guyana and a triumph would be a fitting finale for outgoing coach Rahul Dravid.

"I will be fasting since morning and will eat only when India will win against South Africa today. There is no chance they will lose," said supporter Sumit Dagar.

'Full circle'

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly told reporters on Friday he was happy for Rohit. "Life comes a full circle. Six months ago he was not even the captain of Mumbai Indians and the same man is now leading India to a World Cup final, unbeaten," he said, referring to Rohit's Indian Premier League team.

Star batsman Virat Kohli partnered Rohit at the top of the order but has so far failed to fire, scoring just 75 runs in seven matches.

But Ganguly, a former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, backed the struggling star to come good in the final. "He is a once-in-a-lifetime player," Ganguly said. "He is human, he will have three or four bad games, but I have got my fingers crossed for him in the final."

The tournament could be the last World Cup for both openers, with Kohli aged 35 and Rohit two years older and the next T20 showpiece set for 2026.

Rohit was part of India's T20 World Cup triumph in the inaugural edition in 2007, while Kohli won the ODI prize under M.S. Dhoni in 2011.

That was India's last World Cup triumph, when Dhoni lifted the trophy at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium and the country erupted in joy.

Two years later, Dhoni's team beat hosts England in the 50-over Champions Trophy final but fans have been waiting 13 years for another major title.

India lost in the semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup, before last year's ODI final defeat again left fans heartbroken.

Agence France-Presse