India all-rounder Axar Patel led India's recovery after the Men in Blue were pegged back in the Powerplay in the in the final of the Twenty20 World Cup against South Africa in Barbados on Saturday.
Axar smashed three sixes and a four for his unbeaten 26-ball 38 and put together a 59-run stand with Virat Kohli to propel India to three down for 93 after the end of the 12th over. Virat provided support from the other end with a vigilant 35-ball 41.
India were reduced to three down for 45 after the first six overs as they lost Rohirt Sharma, Rishabh Pant, and Suryakumar Yadav within the first six overs.
South Africa win Powerplay battle
South Africa's bowlers won the battle in the Powerplay as they reduced India to three down for 45 after the first six overs in the final of the Twenty20 World Cup in Barbados on Saturday.
In the second over of the innings, India skipper Rohit (nine off five) was the first to go as he fell by trying to sweep left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj. Maharaj floated it, bringing down the pace, and pushed it a bit wide and Rohit had to reach for it to play the sweep but he did could not evade the fielder at square leg.
Rishabh Pant departed for a naught in the same over in a bizarre dismissal. He tried to sweep Maharaj but ended up top-edging a full-length delivery that did not even land. The top-edge scooped straight up and fell into the hands of the wicket-keeper.
Two overs later, in-form Suryakumar Yadav was caught at deep fine leg after he clipped one off his hips off the bowling of Kagiso Rabada.
India to bat first
India captain Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat in the final of the Twenty20 World Cup against South Africa at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Saturday.
The summit clash features the 20-team tournament's two unbeaten sides both of which fielded unchanged sides for the match.
India won the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2007 but are without a global title since 2013.
South Africa have made the final of a World Cup in any format for the first time.
Teams:
India: Rohit Sharma (captain), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah
South Africa: Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Reeza Hendricks, Aiden Markram (captain), Heinrich Klaasen, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Tabraiz Shamsi
