India secured a spot in the T20 World Cup final with a commanding 68-run victory over England, ending their title defense in the second semi-final on Thursday. The match, held at the Providence Stadium in Guyana, saw India setting a formidable target of 171-7. Skipper Rohit Sharma scored 57 runs, and Suryakumar Yadav contributed 47 on a challenging pitch.
Batting first due to rain delays, India amassed 46 runs in the power-play but lost Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant early. Rohit Sharma overcame a shaky start to hit his 36-ball fifty, helping India cross the 100-run mark by the 13th over. Despite Adil Rashid and Jofra Archer dismissing key players, India posted a competitive total, with Chris Jordan taking 3-37.
England’s response was thwarted by India’s spinners, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav. Axar claimed 3-23, including the crucial wickets of Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow. Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav, who took 3-19, further decimated England’s batting lineup, restricting them to 103 in 17 overs.
The final will feature two unbeaten teams, India and South Africa, clashing in Bridgetown on Saturday. Rohit Sharma expressed immense satisfaction with the team’s performance, highlighting their collective effort.
England’s captain, Jos Buttler, acknowledged India’s superiority, admitting his team allowed too many runs on a difficult pitch. This defeat follows England’s failure to defend their 50-overs World Cup title in India last year.
