In this article, we will discuss India’s impressive journey towards the T20 World Cup 2024 final, marked by their emphatic victory over defending champions England in the semi-final. On the challenging pitch of Providence, Guyana, Rohit Sharma and his team showcased their dominance, scoring 171 runs before bowling out England for just 103.
This triumph not only avenged their previous defeat in Adelaide 2022 but also highlighted the strategic brilliance and resilience of the Indian squad. As they prepare to face South Africa in the final, we delve into the key moments and standout performances that have brought India to the brink of world championship glory.
India’s pursuit of a world title is progressing well, breaking an 11-year drought since their last championship win. Now, only a few hours and a formidable South African team stand between them and glory.
In the T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final, Rohit Sharma and his team easily upset the reigning champions, England, knocking them out for a meagre 103 after they had scored 171 in Providence, Guyana. After their Adelaide 2022 meeting, the roles drastically flipped.
A disciplined bowling attack hitting good lengths and targeting the stumps made it difficult for batters to score freely. Despite England’s strategy to limit India’s scoring options, they conceded 69 runs from areas they aimed to shut down, with India striking at a rate of 192 in those regions.
In contrast to his career strike rate of 141 in Twenty20 Internationals, Rohit Sharma batted at a strike rate of 133 during the powerplay, regularly conceding strokes that were out of his control. India has been looking for this aggressive attitude, where they treat every ball as a chance to score.
Once settled, Rohit played 20 out of 26 balls with control from the fourth over, amassing 40 runs with four fours and two sixes, embracing the risk inherent in T20 cricket.
The way that India’s batsmen went across the crease so often, testing even experienced bowlers like Adil Rashid, was clear evidence of their intentions. Rashid gave up 17 runs without a wicket at the end of his opening two overs, showing signs of weakness.
After a lengthy rain break, Rashid adjusted his strategy, focusing on a consistent off-stump line, eventually dismissing Rohit for 57 off 39. Rashid’s final two overs were economical, giving away only eight runs.
With Rashid out of the attack by the 14th over, India strategically delayed Shivam Dube’s entry, anticipating the return of fast bowlers. England captain Jos Buttler deployed Liam Livingstone’s varied right-arm deliveries during the death overs, with Livingstone finishing with figures of 4-0-24-0. This hinted at the effectiveness of India’s spinners, who had also contributed significantly with the bat, hitting three sixes and two fours in the final overs against Jordan and Archer.
Guyana’s spin-friendly conditions were a tactical advantage for India, who had loaded their squad with spinners in anticipation. Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja each took crucial wickets, capitalizing on the pitch. Axar made an immediate impact, dismissing Jos Buttler with his first ball after the England captain had hit Arshdeep Singh for three consecutive fours.
Axar’s first three overs each began with a wicket, removing Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali, who struggled against his left-arm spin. England, reduced to 49 for 4, faced further setbacks when Kuldeep Yadav outsmarted Sam Curran and Harry Brook.
England’s hopes dwindled further with the run-out of their last recognised batter, Liam Livingstone, following a miscommunication with the lower order. The defending champions crumbled, with six players scoring in single digits and none surpassing 25, relinquishing their title to India.
India– 171/7 (20.0)
England – 103/10 (16.4)
Result – India won by 68 runs
Player of the match – Axar Patel
Axar Patel
India | Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah |
England | Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley |
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