T20IWC : India trounce England to reach final as Rohit, bowlers dazzle

  

India pulled off a near perfect performance to trounce reigning champions England by a whopping 68 runs in the 2nd semi final at Guyana . Rohit Sharma played anoher high class knock and the bowlers worked  in tandem to destroy the England batting .

The T20 World Cup semi-final between India and England brings to mind the 10-wicket loss Rohit Sharma's team suffered in Adelaide in 2022. In that match, India scored 168/6, and England chased it down in 16 overs. However, in the current edition in Georgetown, Guyana, India's innings ended at 171/7, raising hopes for a better outcome.

This match was played on a significantly different pitch, one that provided grip, stop, and turn. India avenged their 2022 defeat with a commanding 68-run victory, securing a spot in the final against South Africa in Bridgetown, Barbados on June 29.

The victory was highlighted by the outstanding performance of India's spin trio, who took six wickets for 58 runs off 11 overs. This success was expected, especially after Adil Rashid and Liam Livingstone had troubled the Indian batters earlier in the rain-delayed first half. However, India's win wasn't solely due to the spin attack of Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja.

On a pitch where the ball often stayed low and came late onto the bat, India's substantial total was crucial. Rohit Sharma's 39-ball 57 was instrumental, following his match-winning performance against the mighty Australia. Although not flawless, his innings set the stage for India's formidable total.

Suryakumar Yadav's 36-ball 47 was equally important, along with key contributions from Hardik Pandya (23 off 13 balls), Jadeja (17*), and Axar,(10).  On a day when Virat Kohli (9)  struggled again in the tournament, these efforts were vital in turning an average score into an imposing one.

Jordan took 3 wickets for England.

Rohit's captaincy was spot-on, particularly with his timely use of spin. Once Axar dismissed the dangerous Jos Buttler (23) in the fourth over, India gained control. England faltered, finding themselves at 62/5 after 10 overs, with their hopes of defending their T20 World Cup title fading. The final blow came soon after. 

After Axar opened the floodgates removing Buttler, Bumrah bowled the dangerous Salt (5) cheaply . Then Axar took over ripping through the middle order as Bairstow, Moeen bite the dust. Harry Brook did flutter for a while scoring 25 but Kuldeep ensured that the tail didnt wag as England slumped to 103 all out woth sone late hitting in vain by Archer (21)

Player of the match Axar took 3 wickets . Kuldeep too took 3 wickets and Bumrah took 2 wickets .

Heading into their second World Cup final after last year's disappointment in the 50-over format, India is filled with confidence. Their success is driven by collective effort rather than individual brilliance, the hallmark of a strong team. The final against South Africa promises to be an exciting clash, with both teams eager to prove their worth.