June 28th 2024.
In a thrilling match at the Providence Stadium, India's Captain Rohit Sharma led his team to victory against defending champions England in the second semifinal of the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup. Sharma, who scored his 32nd T20I fifty, played a vital role in India's win with his 39-ball 57. He was well-supported by fellow batsman Suryakumar Yadav, who scored 47 off 36 balls.
Despite a tricky pitch with a slow pace and low bounce, Sharma adjusted well and showed a mix of risk-taking and caution to hit six fours and two sixes. His partnership with Yadav, which added 73 runs to the scoreboard, helped India post a competitive total of 171/7 after they were put in to bat first.
England struggled against India's bowling attack, with three wickets each from Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. Handy contributions from Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, and Axar Patel towards the end of India's innings also proved to be crucial.
With the win, India secured a spot in the final against South Africa at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on Saturday. This will also be the first time in the history of the Men's T20 World Cup that the champion team will be unbeaten.
The match got off to a shaky start with a 75-minute rain delay. However, Sharma and his opening partner Virat Kohli managed to get some quick runs on the board before Kohli was dismissed for 6 runs. Sharma continued to maintain the momentum, despite not being able to time his shots perfectly.
After the rain delay, Sharma and Yadav picked up where they left off, with Sharma hitting a reverse sweep for a boundary and Yadav smashing a slower ball for a six. However, the rain delay seemed to have affected England's performance as they struggled to keep up with India's run rate.
Sharma went on to score his 32nd T20I fifty in just 36 balls before being dismissed by a googly from Adil Rashid. Yadav also fell soon after, but not before hitting a couple of boundaries and a six. Pandya and Jadeja added some valuable runs towards the end, with Patel hitting a six to ensure India crossed the 170-run mark.
In response, England got off to a strong start with Jos Buttler hitting four boundaries in the first three overs. However, Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah's outstanding bowling performance put England in a tough spot. Buttler was dismissed on the first ball he faced from Patel, and England continued to lose wickets at regular intervals.
Kuldeep Yadav also contributed to England's downfall by taking three wickets, while runouts and a brilliant lbw by Bumrah added to the chaos. England was eventually bowled out for 103 runs in 16.4 overs, giving India a convincing victory by 68 runs.
This win was especially significant for India, as it helped them overcome the heartbreaking loss against England in the 2022 T20 World Cup in Adelaide. With their eyes set on the elusive trophy, India will now face South Africa in the final with high hopes and confidence.
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