India vs England, Semi-final 2, T20 World Cup 2024: In a commanding display, India defeated defending champions England by 68 runs, securing their place in the T20 World Cup final. The match, held on Thursday, saw Indian skipper Rohit Sharma’s elegance matched by the powerful performances of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, allowing India to exorcise the haunting memories of their 2022 defeat.

Rohit Sharma’s Historic Feat: Rohit Sharma made history by becoming the first Indian captain to lead the team in three ICC global finals within 12 months—2023 World Test Championship, 2023 ODI World Cup, and now the T20 World Cup. Known for his struggles on big occasions, Sharma silenced critics with a crucial 57 off 39 balls on a tricky pitch where the ball consistently stayed low, helping India post a competitive total of 171 for 7 in 20 overs.

Key Contributions:

• Suryakumar Yadav: Played a vital innings, scoring 47 off 36 balls.
• Hardik Pandya: Added a quick-fire 23 off 13 balls, including two towering sixes.
• Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel: Contributed with useful scores of 17 and 10, respectively.

England’s Collapse: England’s chase faltered early, losing five wickets by the halfway mark and eventually being bowled out for 103 in 16.4 overs. The Indian bowling attack, led by Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, proved too formidable.

• Axar Patel: Took 3 wickets for 23 runs in his 4 overs.
• Kuldeep Yadav: Delivered an equally impressive performance, claiming 3 wickets for 19 runs in his 4 overs.
• Jasprit Bumrah: Added to the collapse with 2 wickets for just 12 runs in 2.4 overs, including the crucial dismissal of Phil Salt with a classic slow off-cutter.

Strategic Mastery: Rohit Sharma’s astute understanding of the Providence Stadium pitch played a pivotal role in India’s victory. Anticipating the difficulties batters would face against Kuldeep and Axar on a low-bounce track, Sharma’s strategy paid off handsomely. Axar bowled wicket-to-wicket, deceiving England’s key players like Jos Buttler with a reverse sweep, while Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali struggled against the varying pace and turn of Kuldeep’s deliveries.

Fielding Excellence: India’s fielding was exceptional, complementing their strong bowling performance and contributing significantly to England’s downfall.

Looking Ahead: The 2007 champions, India, are now set to face South Africa in the final, which will be held in Barbados on Saturday. This victory not only avenges their 2022 semi-final defeat but also sets the stage for an exciting climax to the T20 World Cup 2024.