India showcased their immense talent with a commanding performance to secure a spot in the T20 World Cup final, defeating England by 68 runs in their semi-final on Thursday.
Leading from the front, skipper Rohit Sharma set the tone with a blistering 57 off 39 balls. He received strong support from Suryakumar Yadav, who scored 47 off 36 balls, helping India reach a total of 171 for seven in the rain-affected match after being put into bat.
In response, England were dismissed for 103 in 16.4 overs, setting the stage for India to face first-time finalists South Africa in Barbados on Saturday. This marks India's third appearance in the final of this tournament.
Hardik Pandya contributed significantly with a quickfire 23 off 13 balls, hitting two sixes at a crucial moment to bolster India's innings.
On a slow pitch with low bounce, left-arm spinner Axar Patel (3/23) and fellow spinner Kuldeep Yadav (3/19) played pivotal roles. Their exceptional bowling helped India maintain control throughout the match.
India avenged their crushing 10-wicket loss to the defending champions in the 2022 semifinal at Adelaide Oval. Rohit Sharma also made history as the first Indian captain to lead the team in three ICC global finals within 12 months: the 2023 World Test Championship, the 2023 ODI World Cup, and now the T20 World Cup.
Rohit's tactical decision to use Axar Patel in the powerplay paid off brilliantly, with Axar taking two quick wickets, leaving England reeling. Kuldeep Yadav's precise bowling further compounded England's struggles on a spin-friendly pitch.
Only Jos Buttler (23 off 15), Harry Brook (25 off 19), and Jofra Archer (21 off 15) managed to reach double figures for England, highlighting India's dominance. Both Buttler and Brook were dismissed attempting reverse sweeps against Axar and Kuldeep, respectively.
"We adapted to the conditions really well. It was a challenge, and we adapted," said Rohit after the match.
India, unbeaten in the tournament, will hope for a strong performance from star batter Virat Kohli in the final. Kohli, however, struggled again on Thursday, scoring only 9 off 9 balls before being dismissed.
The match was delayed by intermittent rain, with the start pushed back by an hour and 15 minutes. Another lengthy delay occurred when India were 65 for two in eight overs. Despite 250 additional minutes being allotted to the game, there was no reserve day.
On a slow surface with low bounce, Rohit adapted well, playing late and behind the stumps. His skillful batting included a guide over backward point off Archer and back-to-back boundaries off Topley.
Rishabh Pant (4) was caught at midwicket off Sam Curran, but Rohit continued to build the innings, using sweeps against Adil Rashid to collect boundaries.
Suryakumar Yadav and Rohit had an engaging partnership, adding 73 runs before Rohit was dismissed by Rashid's googly. Suryakumar's aggressive batting included a maximum over fine leg, and Hardik Pandya's two sixes helped propel India forward in the final overs.
Ravindra Jadeja (17 not out off 9) contributed crucial runs, hitting two fours off Archer, and Axar Patel's six off Jordan in the final over pushed India's total past 170. The team added 53 runs in the last five overs, setting a formidable target for England.
Read also | Rohit Sharma's Fiery 92 vs Aus in T20 World Cup, says '50s & 100 doesn't matter.'
