Pulling off a superb show, India beat South Africa in a nail-biter by 7 runs to end 11-year long ICC trophy drought.
Emotions ran wild soon after India’s win at the Kensington Oval as BCCI secretary Jay Shah was seen hugging and lifting Hardik after the win.
An elated skipper Rohit Sharma too kissed Hardik during a live chat with the broadcasters after India’s win.
“It means a lot. Very emotional, we’ve been working very hard and something was not clicking. But today we got what the whole nation wanted. More special for me, how my last 6 months were, I haven’t spoken a word. I knew that if I kept working hard I could shine and do what I could do,” Hardik said after the win.
Electing to bat on a dry surface, 2007 champions India overcame a top-order meltdown to post a competitive 176 for 7.
Virat Kohli (76) struck his first 50 of this World Cup and Axar Patel smashed 47 to power India to a healthy total. Anrich Nortje and Keshav Maharaj claimed two wickets apiece for South Africa.
The Proteas suffered a top order collapse of their own but Quinton de Kock (39) and Tristan Stubbs (31) put their chase back on track. Heinrich Klaasen (52) then counter-attacked in spectacular fashion but India’s impeccable death-overs bowling restricted South Africa to 169-8.
