(AP Photo)
Team India remains unbeaten in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup, showcasing their dominance by overcoming strong opponents like Pakistan and Australia in the league stage and Super 8s. In the semi-final, Rohit Sharma’s squad delivered a commanding performance, highlighted by their bowlers, to secure a convincing 68-run victory over England and secure their spot in the final.
India has previously appeared in two T20 World Cup finals. They clinched the inaugural title in 2007 by defeating arch-rivals Pakistan and finished as runners-up in 2014 against Sri Lanka. This time, India will face South Africa in the summit clash, scheduled at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados on June 29.
In the group stage, India competed in Group A alongside co-hosts USA, Pakistan, Canada, and Ireland. They began their campaign with an impressive 8-wicket victory over Ireland. Pacer Jasprit Bumrah showcased his skill on the challenging New York surface, where India also secured wins in their next two matches. They defeated Pakistan by six wickets in a closely contested match and followed it with a seven-wicket triumph over the USA.
India’s final group stage match against Canada was scheduled but unfortunately got washed out due to persistent rain in Florida.
During the Super 8s stage held in the Caribbean islands, India faced off against Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Australia. They comfortably defeated both Asian opponents, securing victories by 47 runs and 50 runs, respectively, showcasing their dominance under Rohit Sharma’s leadership.
In their final Super 8s match against Australia, India batted first and posted a formidable total of 205 runs, propelled by Rohit Sharma’s spectacular innings of 92 runs, featuring seven boundaries and eight sixes. The Indian bowlers once again excelled in St Lucia, restricting Australia to 181 runs to secure their spot in the semi-finals.
In India’s semi-final match in Guyana, rain interruptions added drama to the contest as England won the toss and opted to bowl first. India faced early setbacks with the dismissals of Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant during the powerplay. However, Rohit Sharma partnered with Suryakumar Yadav to stabilize the innings, forging a crucial 73-run partnership.
Rohit Sharma continued his impressive form with his second consecutive half-century, scoring 57 runs off 39 balls. Suryakumar Yadav played some exquisite shots but fell just three runs short of a fifty. Contributions from all-rounders like Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, and Ravindra Jadeja helped India post a total of 171 runs.
In their bowling effort, Indian pacers initially faced challenges, but Axar Patel’s introduction turned the tide immediately. Axar Patel claimed the key wicket of Jos Buttler off his first delivery, triggering a collapse in England’s batting order. Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel picked three wickets each, while Jasprit Bumrah chipped in with two scalps as England were bowled out for 103 runs in 16.4 overs.