Rohit Sharma’s blistering 92, combined with impactful spells from Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, and Kuldeep Yadav, along with a stunning one-handed catch by Axar Patel, sealed a 24-run win for India against Australia, securing their spot in the semifinals of the ongoing T20 World Cup.
In a dramatic chase where the momentum swung like a pendulum at St Lucia, India emerged victorious to book a semifinal clash with England at Providence Stadium, Guyana, on June 27.
Travis Head looked poised to replicate his heroics from seven months ago in the ODI World Cup final in Ahmedabad, but Jasprit Bumrah played a crucial role in preventing another heartbreak for India.
India’s victory not only secured their place in the final four but also put Australia on the brink of elimination. If Afghanistan wins against Bangladesh in the final Super 8 game, Australia’s campaign will come to an end.
Chasing 206, Arshdeep Singh set the tone by removing David Warner on the final ball of the first over. Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head then swung the momentum in Australia’s favor, with Head hitting two towering sixes off Hardik Pandya in the powerplay to take Australia’s score to 65/1.
Kuldeep Yadav provided a breakthrough by dismissing Marsh, who tried to clear the boundary but was caught by Axar Patel with a spectacular one-handed catch. This ended an 81-run stand and shifted the game back in India’s favor.
Head continued his onslaught, but Kuldeep struck again, dismissing Glenn Maxwell, who missed a slog and was bowled. Maxwell’s departure marked the beginning of Australia’s collapse.
Axar Patel removed Marcus Stoinis before he could settle, and Arshdeep followed with a tight over. Bumrah then dismissed Head, who mistimed a shot and was caught by Rohit Sharma, sealing Australia’s fate.
Arshdeep further damaged Australia’s hopes by taking two more wickets in the next over, as the asking rate climbed beyond reach, leading to India’s 24-run victory and maintaining their unbeaten record.
Earlier, India set a formidable total with an explosive batting display. Rohit Sharma led from the front, smashing eight sixes in his 92 off 41 balls. Contributions from Suryakumar Yadav (31), Shivam Dube (28), and Hardik Pandya’s unbeaten 27 helped India post 206/4.
Australia’s bowlers struggled, with Mitchell Starc conceding 45 runs, Pat Cummins giving away 48, and Marcus Stoinis returning figures of 2/56. Only Josh Hazlewood managed to keep things tight, conceding just 10 runs in his three overs.
Put to bat first, Rohit started aggressively with a boundary in the first over. Hazlewood struck early, removing Virat Kohli with a bouncer, but Rohit continued his assault on Starc, hitting him for 29 runs in an over.
Rohit reached a 19-ball half-century, the fastest of the tournament. Adam Zampa was brought into the attack but was decimated by Rohit and Rishabh Pant. Pant was eventually dismissed for 15, and Rohit fell short of a hundred, bowled by Starc for 92.
Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya continued the onslaught, with Dube hitting four sixes before falling to Stoinis. Pandya’s quickfire cameo and contributions from Ravindra Jadeja ensured India crossed the 200-run mark.
India’s comprehensive win sets the stage for an exciting semifinal against England, with the team displaying both resilience and brilliance throughout the tournament.
