Rohit Sharma reveals India kept ICC Umpires and Match Officials in their pockets during the T20 World Cup 2024

Indian cricket team captain Rohit Sharma revealed that the Men in Blue risked being fined during the dying overs of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 final to win the prestigious cup against South Africa in Barbados in June.

During the dramatic final against South Africa in Barbados, with the Proteas needing just 30 runs off the last 30 balls, the game seemed to be slipping away from Team India. South Africa's Heinrich Klaasen and David Miller were cruising, and India looked on the brink of another heartbreak.

Rohit Sharma confesses India risked fines to clinch T20 World Cup 2024 title

Klaasen was about to pull off a historic win for South Africa with a blistering 52 off 27 balls. With six wickets still in hand and Klaasen forming a dangerous partnership with Miller, India appeared to lose the golden opportunity to win their first T20 World Cup title since their 2007 glory.

However, Hardik Pandya provided the breakthrough just at the right moment, dismissing Klaasen in the 17th over, swinging the momentum back in India’s favor, and they eventually crushed South Africa’s hope by winning the T20 World Cup 2024 final by a mere seven runs in Barbados.

Speaking on the recent episode of 'The Great Indian Kapil Show,' Rohit Sharma opened up about what was unfolding beyond just bat and ball on the field during that intense climax in Barbados.

After Klaasen's wicket, the Indian cricket team switched tactics, opting to unsettle the South African side with strategic sledging and mind games to throw them off their rhythm.

We wanted to win at any cost: Rohit Sharma

The Indian captain has publicly admitted that this psychological attack on the Proteas side played a key role in the tense final moments of the final in Barbados. Rohit said that they were ready to do anything to win the T20 World Cup 2024, even at the cost of being fined for their tactic.

Rohit Sharma said on the show: “Hardik dismissed Klaasen in that over, and from then onwards, pressure started to build on South Africa. Hum saare ladko ne ek saath aa ke unke batsmen ko ek do cheezein boli, woh mai abhi yahan pe nahi share kar sakta hu, par woh karhna zaruri tha kyuki woh match humko kaise bhi karke jeetna tha.

(We all said a few things to their batsmen, which I can't share but it was important to do that because we wanted to win at any cost).”

The captain further added, “Even if we get fined after winning, that's not a problem. That was in my mind. So, I told the boys 'jisko jo bolna hai bolo bindaas, umpires and referees ko hum baad mei handle karenge (Just say whatever you want to say, we will handle the umpires and referees later).”

Watch Rohit Sharma's confession here:

Rohit Sharma: “Maine sab players ko bola ki umpire aur referee's ko baad mein dekh lenge.” 😭😂pic.twitter.com/L2DlmYUhWh

— ` (@cutxpull45) October 5, 2024

Rohit Sharma further revealed that there was a small break when South Africa needed 30 runs off 30 balls to win the final. At that time, Pant used his intelligence to pause the game.

The Indian captain said that he had a knee injury, so he had his knee taped, which helped slow down the game because the game was fast-paced, and at that moment, batters wanted to be bowled quickly. But India had to break the rhythm, and Pant’s trick played a big game for the Men in Blue, admitted Rohit.