T20 World Cup: India storm into final, blow away clueless England in perfect payback

India reserved their most emphatic performance for their most brutal payback.

The Indian men’s cricket team marched into the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 with a 68-run victory over England in the semi-final at the Providence Stadium in Guyana on Thursday.

Put into bat first after a delayed start due to rain, India posted 171/7 in 20 overs. Indian T20 captain Rohit Sharma (57 off 39) and Suryakumar Yadav (47 off 36) did the bulk of the scoring while Chris Jordan (3/37) was the top wicket-taker for England.

In reply, England were bundled out for 103 in 17.4 overs. Kuldeep Yadav (3/19) and Axar Patel (3/23) broke the spine of England’s run chase. Harry Brook (25 off 19) and Jos Buttler (23 off 15) were the only two batters who showed some resistance for England.

The win took India into their third ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final. The Men in Blue clinched the inaugural T20 World Cup trophy in 2007 by defeating Pakistan in the final and lost to Sri Lanka in 2014.

India will play first-time T20 World Cup finalists South Africa in the final on Saturday.

Rohit Sharma, like in India’s previous game against Australia, took the attack to the opposition bowlers in the powerplay.

Despite losing Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant early at the other end, the ‘Hitman’ motored along at a good pace and helped India reach 46/2 in the powerplay.

Suryakumar Yadav, with a scoop for six against Chris Jordan, and Rohit Sharma with two boundaries off England’s premier spinner Adil Rashid, scored 19 off the next two overs.

Rain interrupted the play for over an hour. However, the Rohit Sharma-Suryakumar Yadav partnership continued to shine.

The two Indian cricketers put on a 73-run stand before the Indian captain was cleaned up by Adil Rashid in the 14th over while going for a big shot.

Suryakumar Yadav followed his captain two overs later after mistiming a shot off a slower ball from Jofra Archer.

Cameos from Hardik Pandya (23 off 13), Ravindra Jadeja (17 off 9) and Axar Patel (10 off 6) saw India score 53 runs in the last five overs. Eventually, India posted 171 on a wicket that stayed low and gave good value for bowling variations.

England played the first couple of overs cautiously before captain Jos Buttler took on Arshdeep Singh for three boundaries in the third over.

However, an ambitious reverse sweep off Axar Patel’s first ball of the match in the fourth over saw the end of the England cricket team captain.

Axar Patel continued to bamboozle English batters with his spin and was well supported by Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav from the other end.

Patel used the slow pace of the pitch to castle Jonny Bairstow and get Moeen Ali stumped by Rishabh Pant. Bumrah and Yadav got the better of Phil Salt and Sam Curran, respectively, with England reduced to 62/5 in 10 overs.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma continued to apply pressure on England with spin from both ends. Harry Brook, who looked the most dangerous English batter in the middle-order, was also sent back by Yadav before he trapped Chris Jordan LBW in front of the wicket.

Liam Livingstone and Adil Rashid were run out looking for quick singles while Jasprit Bumrah’s yorker in the 18th over caught Jofra Archer in front of the stumps and sealed the contest for India.

IND vs ENG T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final brief scores: India 171/7 in 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 59; Suryakumar Yadav 47; Chris Jordan 3/37) beat England 103/10 in 20 overs (Harry Brook 25; Kuldeep Yadav 3/19, Axar Patel 3/23) by 68 runs