3 things South Africa need to do right to beat India in the 2024 T20 World Cup final

South Africa are in their first T20 World Cup final in history, and it promises to be a tough challenge. While the Proteas themselves are unbeaten, India are yet to lose a game in the competition, having won their matches by more convincing margins.

The Men in Blue might be favorites, but how can South Africa spoil their party? Aiden Markram and his men are a talented bunch with firepower in all departments, and they'll be itching to add some ICC silverware to their rather empty cabinet.

Here are three things South Africa need to do right to beat India in their 2024 T20 World Cup final clash.

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#3 South Africa need to get their matchups and batting order spot-on

USA v South Africa: Super Eight - ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup West Indies & USA 2024

In the 2024 T20 World Cup, South Africa have used Tristan Stubbs at No. 4 when they lost a couple of early wickets. That might not be necessary against India, though.

Rohit Sharma generally closes out the powerplay with Axar Patel and Hardik Pandya, and Heinrich Klaasen will back himself against those two bowlers. South Africa will need Klaasen at the crease just after the powerplay to counter Kuldeep Yadav and the two left-arm spinners.

David Miller has a good record against Ravindra Jadeja and Axar, but shielding him against Kuldeep will be a good idea. Stubbs, who famously commented that he couldn't face the Indian spinner in the Delhi Capitals nets, might have to take up that role.

South Africa must be flexible with their batting order in the 2024 T20 World Cup final.

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#2 South Africa need to attack any bowlers not named Jasprit Bumrah or Kuldeep Yadav

India & England Net Sessions - ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup West Indies & USA 2024

India have eight world-class overs of Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep, and what that means is that South Africa must target the other cogs in the wheel.

Hardik Pandya has been taken for runs in the last two matches, and Arshdeep Singh's influence has waned slightly since the shift to the West Indies. The left-arm spinners, meanwhile, might not get much purchase at Barbados, where the fast bowlers have fared better.

So South Africa need to put the supporting Indian bowlers under pressure and force Rohit to do something different with his bowling changes.

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#1 The Proteas should ideally play Ottneil Baartman instead of Tabraiz Shamsi

South Africa v Afghanistan: Semi-Final - ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup West Indies & USA 2024

As mentioned earlier, fast bowlers have fared better in Barbados. And while Tabraiz Shamsi has picked up 11 scalps in four matches, he has often lost his radar and been fortunate to see wickets fall his way.

So South Africa could drop Shamsi for the final and play Ottneil Baartman, who performed decently during the USA leg. While his yorker-heavy death-bowling strategy has come undone on occasion, Baartman is a canny operator who certainly offers more control than the left-arm wrist-spinner.

Even Gerald Coetzee, who can hit the deck hard and ask questions of the Indian middle order, is an option. But South Africa are unlikely to make drastic changes for the summit clash.