India Secures Final Spot in T20 World Cup 2024 with Dominant Win Over England

Captain Rohit Sharma’s half-century, followed by stellar bowling from Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, led India to a resounding 68-run victory over England in the T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final. India will now face South Africa in the final on Saturday at the Kensington Oval in Barbados.

Rohit Sharma’s leadership was pivotal as India posted a competitive total of 171/7 in their 20 overs. England struggled from the start, losing half their side before reaching 50 runs. Axar Patel initiated the breakthrough by dismissing Jos Buttler in the fourth over and continued his dominance by taking wickets in the first balls of his subsequent overs, removing Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali. Phil Salt was sent back by Jasprit Bumrah in the fifth over, and Kuldeep Yadav joined the fray by dismissing Sam Curran in the ninth over.

Earlier in the match, Rohit scored 57 off 39 balls in a 73-run partnership with Suryakumar Yadav. This duo had to adjust their play after a rain delay of over an hour. Upon resumption, the scoring pace slowed, but Rohit managed to complete his half-century before being dismissed by Adil Rashid in the 14th over. Suryakumar continued to score briskly, making 47 off 36 balls before falling to Jofra Archer in the 16th over. Contributions from Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel helped India cross the 170-run mark, with 160 typically being the par score at Providence Stadium.

Jos Buttler won the toss and opted to bowl first, putting India in to bat at Providence Stadium in Guyana. The toss was delayed by nearly an hour and a half due to intermittent rain in Georgetown. Virat Kohli’s lean run continued as he fell for just nine runs in the third over. India lost another wicket in the form of Rishabh Pant during the powerplay, ending it at 46/2. Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav were starting to build momentum when rain interrupted play after the eighth over, with India’s score at 65/2.

India’s bowlers then took control, ensuring England never gained a foothold in their chase. Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel’s excellent performances were instrumental in dismantling England’s batting lineup. Regular wickets prevented England from forming any substantial partnerships, underscoring India’s dominance and setting up an exciting final clash against South Africa.