India is on the brink of making history after a dominating performance against the defending T20 World Cup champions secured them a spot in the title clash against South Africa. Spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel each took three wickets, propelling India into the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup final with a comprehensive 68-run victory over England in the second semifinal at the Providence Stadium.
Captain Rohit Sharma led from the front, scoring his 32nd T20I fifty with a 39-ball 57. Alongside Suryakumar Yadav, who contributed a valuable 47 off 36 balls, India posted a competitive 171/7 on a tricky pitch. The bowlers then delivered brilliant spells, with Axar and Kuldeep dismantling England’s batting lineup, who were bowled out for 103.
Rohit Sharma got emotional after the win. Chasing 172, England’s Jos Buttler gave his team a strong start by hitting four boundaries, including three off Arshdeep Singh, accumulating 26 runs in the first three overs. However, Axar Patel and Jasprit Bumrah quickly turned the tide. Buttler attempted a reverse-sweep on Axar’s first ball but ended up giving a top edge to wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant.
Bumrah then used an off-cutter to knock over Phil Salt’s leg-stump. Axar continued the carnage by getting one to stay low and hit Jonny Bairstow’s off-stump, dismissing him for a duck, leaving England at 39/3 by the end of the power-play.
The situation worsened for England when Moeen Ali tried to flick a delivery off Axar, only for the ball to lob off his thigh pad. As Ali stepped out of the crease, Pant swiftly stumped him.
Kuldeep Yadav compounded England’s troubles by trapping Sam Curran lbw in front of the middle stump, rattling Harry Brook’s leg-stump with a reverse-sweep, and spinning one back in to trap Chris Jordan lbw.
Mix-ups in the middle resulted in the runouts of Liam Livingstone and Adil Rashid. Bumrah then trapped Jofra Archer lbw, sparking jubilant celebrations as India exorcised the ghost of Adelaide 2022 in Guyana 2024. The dream of winning the elusive trophy remains alive for a dominant India.
