Ranking India's Top 5 T20I wins of 2024 

The year 2024 turned out to be memorable for the men’s Indian cricket team, especially in the T20 format. Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, India won their second T20 World Cup title in June and raised the bar to a whole new level.

Following their defeat in the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final against England, they changed their approach to the T20 game, and that worked wonders for them going into the 2024 T20 World Cup. They were fearless in their approach, and it reflected in the results.

India is currently the number one ranked side in the T20 format and has continued their dream run even after the T20 World Cup. Despite the retirements of stalwarts like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, the team has gone on from strength to strength and has broken several records in this format.

As the year 2024 nears an end, it's time to reflect on some of Team India's memorable performances in this format. In this listicle, we compile five such matches in which India registered memorable victories. We have included a combination of dominating victories and hard-fought ones.

Let's now rank India’s top five T20I wins of 2024:

# 5. India vs Bangladesh, 3rd T20I, Hyderabad

Following the conclusion of the T20 World Cup, India continued their fearless approach in this format despite the retirement of some of the biggest names like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja.

Under Suryakumar Yadav's captaincy, the Men in Blue notched up several memorable performances and one among them was their utter domination against Bangladesh in the third match of the T20I series in October.

Batting first, India went berserk right from the outset and the Bangladesh bowlers were left scratching their heads. They lost opener Abhishek Sharma early but the duo of Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav toyed with the Bangladesh bowlers as if they were club-level bowlers.

Samson went on to register his maiden T20I century while Surya chipped in with 75. The carnage continued with Riyan Parag and Hardik Pandya contributing with quickfire 34 and 47 respectively. At one stage, India looked well set to post more than 300 but some good bowling towards the death ensured they couldn't topple that landmark.

However, they still ended with the highest-ever T20I score against a Test-playing nation, registering 297/6 in their allotted 20 overs. The target was always going to be a bit too much for the likes of Bangladesh.

Mayank Yadav and Ravi Bishnoi were the wreckers in chief, bagging two and three wickets respectively as the visitors were restricted to 164, thus handing India a massive 133-run victory.

# 4. India vs South Africa, 4th T20I, Johannesburg

The Men in Blue were at their dominant best during the T20 series in South Africa, completing a thoroughly convincing 4-1 win in the five-match series. It was the fourth match of the series when India displayed their firepower yet again, posting a mammoth 283 on the board in their allotted 20 overs.

Samson continued to dominate in this format and smashed his third century in just five matches while Tilak Varma also became the second batter after Samson to score consecutive T20I centuries. It was Abhishek Sharma and Samson who provided a blistering start, sharing a 73-run stand inside the powerplay.

From there on, it was just sheer carnage from the Samson-Tilak duo. They obliterated the South African bowling attack to every corner of the Wanderers. Sixes just kept flying off their blades and the Proteas bowling unit was made to look utterly clueless. Both batters remained not out as India posted a mammoth 283.

Samson’s knock of 109 came in just 56 deliveries, which was studded with six fours and nine sixes while Tilak’s stunning 120 came off a mere 47 deliveries which was laced with nine fours and 10 sixes. Arshdeep Singh was at his absolute best with the new ball, reducing the Proteas to 10/4.

It was a mountain too steep to climb from there on. Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, and Marco Jansen saved them from humiliation but they could eventually only muster 148, handing India a humungous 135-run win. The win also gave India an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.

# 3. India vs Afghanistan, 3rd T20I, Bengaluru

It was just before the T20 World Cup when India and Afghanistan were involved in an absolute thriller. It took the home team two super overs to topple Afghanistan and win the series 3-0. Team India, after batting first, was reduced to 22/4 in the fifth over and faced the prospect of losing their first match against the Afghans.

However, the pair of Rohit Sharma and Rinku Singh had other ideas. The pair started off in a circumspect manner before going hammers and tongs just when both of them had a fair idea about the pitch.

Rohit, who had scored a couple of zeroes leading into the game, went on to score a brilliant century and got able support at the other end from Rinku. Once set, the duo toyed with the Afghanistan attack and helped India post a massive score of 212 in their 20 overs.

While Rohit remained unbeaten on 121 off 69 deliveries which included 11 fours and eight sixes, Rinku contributed with a 39-ball 69 which was studded with two fours and six sixes. Afghanistan had to bat out of their skins to get anywhere close to the target.

Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Ibrahim Zadran shared a 93-run opening stand but it was Gulbadin Naib’s blitzkrieg that brought Afghanistan back into the game. Mohammad Nabi also gave him good support as the duo took on the relatively inexperienced Indian bowling attack.

Gulbadin smacked an unbeaten 23 ball 55 while Nabi chipped in with 34 off 16 deliveries. The match eventually ended in a tie and it took two super overs to separate the two teams. Ravi Bishnoi held his nerves and delivered the killer punch in the second over to help India win the series 3-0.

# 2. India vs Pakistan, T20 World Cup group game, New York

Jasprit Bumrah took the wicket of Mohammad Rizwan to bring India back into the game. Source: Getty

An India-Pakistan contest is always the biggest cricketing spectacle in the world and the T20 World Cup group game lived up to its expectations. The pitch in New York was nowhere close to being a traditional T20 wicket and it churned out a low-scoring thriller.

After being put to bat by Pakistan captain Babar Azam, India got off to a good start but lost their plot a bit, losing Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in quick succession. Vital contributions from Axar Patel and Rishabh Pant gave India the platform to set up a competitive score.

Pant scored 42 off 31 deliveries while Axar chipped in with 20. Just when they looked in a commanding position, they suddenly lost their way. The Men in Blue lost four wickets for just seven runs which halted their progress.

They were eventually bowled out for 119 with an over to spare. The Pakistan opening duo of Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan looked steady out in the middle.

The duo shared a 26-run stand before Jasprit Bumrah broke through by dismissing Babar. At the halfway stage, Pakistan looked in a commanding position but post the 10th over, everything turned around in India’s favor.

Again it was Jasprit Bumrah who provided the massive breakthrough of Rizwan. Axar Patel bowled some tight overs and the pressure kept building on Pakistan. They eventually succumbed to it, handing India a memorable six-run win.

# 1. India vs South Africa, T20 World Cup final, Barbados

South Africa v India: Final - ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup West Indies & USA 2024 - Source: Getty

There couldn't be a better game in the year 2024 for the Men in Blue than the T20 World Cup final. They looked dead and buried when Heinrich Klaasen was hammering the ball to all corners of the ground but somehow managed to turn it around towards the dying stages, eventually winning their second T20 World Cup title.

Winning the toss, India trusted their tested method of batting first. Rohit Sharma again came out with a positive frame of mind after Virat Kohli struck three boundaries in the opening over. India was put under serious pressure when Rohit, Rishabh Pant and Suryakumar Yadav departed in quick succession.

Axar Patel was promoted up the order and he didn't disappoint. The southpaw took the attack to the Proteas bowling attack and raced his way to an important knock of 47 which came in just 31 deliveries. Following his departure, Shivam Dube kept up the momentum with a 16 ball 27 while Virat went about his business in an unfazed manner.

He took his time before cutting loose in the final stages of the innings. Virat eventually scored a 59-ball 76 to provide stability to the Indian innings. A score of 176 looked more than a competitive one at the halfway stage. South Africa lost Reeza Hendricks and Aiden Markram early.

However, Quinton de Kock and Tristan Stubbs' solid partnership got them back on track. Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh made two important breakthroughs in the middle overs. Klaasen was at his dominant best, and when he smoked Axar Patel for 24 runs in the 15th over, it seemed another heartbreak was in store for the Men in Blue.

There was a pause in play after the 16th over and that is what disrupted South Africa’s momentum. Klaasen was dismissed soon after by Hardik Pandya. The highlight of the match was the incredible catch of Suryakumar Yadav in the final over which was one of the primary reasons why India went on to lift the title.