Nearly four weeks of rigorous action nears a conclusion with the grand finale of the 2024 T20 World Cup staged at the Kensington Oval, Barbados on June 29. India and South Africa have made it to the main event of the glitterati tournament and will be fighting for the crown in this format of the game.
Ahead of the game, let us glance through the team journeys, head-to-head, top players, pitch stats and match predictions.
India Team Journey
The Asian Giants have dominated the event thus far. They finished first in Group A, defeating Ireland, the United States, and Pakistan. With seven points from four matches, they were placed in Group 1 of the Super Eight alongside Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Australia. All other teams were defeated by the Men in Blue, who finished with six points from three games. The Rohit Sharma-led unit showcased utter courage in the semi-final and eclipsed an English unit to make it through to the grand finale. 
South Africa Team Journey
The African Giants commenced the World Cup campaign with a dominant victory over Sri Lanka in New York. They finished undefeated in Group D of the first phase, evading setbacks against the Netherlands, Bangladesh, and Nepal in thrilling encounters.
The Proteas maintained their momentum against the United States of America, England, and the West Indies during the Super Eight stage, ultimately topping the Group 2 points table. Eventually, they got to face Afghanistan in the first semi-final and ended up humiliating the Atalans.
Kensington Oval, Barbados Pitch Report
The batters tend to get a little more assistance on the surface here than other venues. St Lucia was the only other venue where the bowlers needed to hustle hard. However, this is likely to be a balanced strip where both pacers and spinners may get docile help. The only two teams to stockpile over 180-run in an innings at this venue in the competition are India and Australia.
Brian Lara Stadium Pitch Stats
Total Matches: 50
Matches won batting first: 31
Matches won bowling first: 16
Average 1st innings total: 138
Average 2nd innings total: 125
Highest total recorded: 224/5 by WI vs ENG
Lowest total recorded: 43 by WIW vs ENGW
SA vs IND Head-to-Head
South Africa and India have locked horns in 26 T20Is so far with the former earning 11 victories. On the flip side, India won 14 games. In the last five matches between both teams, the Proteas hold the edge with three victories.
SA vs IND Top Players Predictions
Quinton de Kock (SA): The southpaw is a gun batter and has the ability to snatch the game away from the opposition with belligerent knocks. De Kock smashed two fifties during the Super Eight stages of the game earlier.
Hardik Pandya (IND): The former interim Indian skipper has been scintillating in his act with both bat and ball this tournament. Pandya scored a half-century against Bangladesh during the Super Eights and followed it up by handful cameos in the next couple of games. He has also been sharp with the ball in hand.
Kagiso Rabada (IND): The Proteas pacer has picked 12 wickets in the tournament so far despite a rocky start in the mega event. Rabada has fair share of numbers in the wickets column against the Indian top-order and will be key in this big match.
SA vs IND Hit or Miss Prediction
Virat Kohli (IND): The Indian opener is due to a big knock. He is undergoing a torrid time in his batting form. But given the big-match player he is, Kohli is expected to play out of his skin and stitch a match-defining knock in the finals.
SA vs IND Conditions-based Predictions
- Spinners get moderate spin here.
- The strip holds true bounce rather than spongy, low or uneven elevation.
- Batters tend to enjoy once set.
SA vs IND Match Predictions
Batting hasn’t always been easy in the Caribbean conditions and hence South Africa are expected to score less than 76.5 (1.67) in the first ten overs. A similar equation goes with India and hence one can bet for a score of less than 81.5 (1.71) in ten overs. Also, the total boundaries in the match could surge below 37.5 (1.78). The Odds…
SA vs IND Winner Predictions
India did not have good memories of the ICC tournament finals in the recent past. Although the team looks well-poised, some loopholes can be taken into account on a bad day. On the other hand, South Africa have managed to win plenty of close encounters in this World Cup. This confidence may help them remain dominant throughout the tournament by beating India and nullifying the chokers’ tag.
