NEW DELHI (AP) — Cricket fans across India came out onto the streets, waving the national flag and setting off firecrackers to celebrate the national team’s seven-run win against South Africa in a gripping final of the Twenty20 World Cup on Saturday.
It was India’s second T20 World Cup but its first title in 13 years and the frustration had been building. Over the last 12 months, India lost the World Test Championship final and also the 50-over World Cup final at home.
Virat Kohli’s first half-century of the tournament in what he later revealed was his last T20 international anchored India to 176-7 after captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat. South Africa appeared to be on course to reach the target but faltered late on and fell just short.
Sharma later announced his own retirement from T20 internationals.
Cricket is the most popular sport in India, a country of 1.4 billion people.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
The Associated Press
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