India rode on Rohit Sharma's carnage-filled 92 and Arshdeep Singh's three-fer to beat Australia by 24 runs in their Super 8 clash and officially qualify for the T20 World Cup 2024 semifinal. Batting first India posted a big total of 205/5, thanks to Rohit Sharma's lightning 41-ball 92. In reply, Travis Head did give a scare to Team India but couldn't save Australia from going down to Rohit Sharma's brigade by 24 runs. India is set to take on England in the second semifinal in Guyana on June 27. Meanwhile, Australia will wait for the outcome of the Afghanistan versus Bangladesh match to determine its next steps.
Rohit Sharma's special on the show
Rohit Sharma was the star of the show for India, smashing a match-winning 92 runs off just 41 balls. His blistering knock set the platform for a strong total, which ultimately proved too much for the Australian batting line-up.
Travis Head's bravado in vain
Australia's chase started brightly, with Travis Head leading the charge. The explosive opener struck fear into the Indian bowlers, amassing a brilliant 76 runs off only 43 balls. Head's knock included four sixes and nine boundaries, and for a while, it seemed Australia might pull off a remarkable comeback after their shock defeat to Afghanistan the previous day. However, India's spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel emerged as unlikely heroes. Kuldeep broke the crucial partnership between Head and Mitchell Marsh, dismissing the Australian captain with a timely wicket. He then went on to bamboozle Glenn Maxwell with his trademark wrong'un, effectively removing another dangerous batsman. Axar Patel, too, chipped in with a crucial wicket of Marcus Stoinis. With the middle-order restricted, the pressure mounted on Head, who remained the lone threat for Australia. However, Jasprit Bumrah, despite conceding runs earlier in his spell, delivered a special slower ball to finally dismiss Head for a well-made 76. This dismissal effectively ended Australia's hopes of victory.
Kuldeep Yadav shines once again
While Bumrah and Hardik Pandya were a bit expensive with the ball, Kuldeep Yadav (2 wickets) and Axar Patel (1 wicket) proved to be the game-changers for India. Arshdeep Singh also chipped in with another impressive three-wicket haul, including the crucial wicket of David Warner early on.
This victory not only secured India's place in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup but also extended their unbeaten run in the tournament. They also maintained their winning streak against Australia in T20 World Cups, which began in 2014. However, for Australia, the defeat leaves their qualification in jeopardy. They now depend on the outcome of the match between Afghanistan and Bangladesh. If Afghanistan wins, Australia will be eliminated from the competition.
India post imposing total riding on Rohit's special
Earlier, T20 World Cup witnessed another batting masterclass today as Rohit Sharma led India to a formidable total of 205/5 against Australia in their final Super 8s fixture. Played on a belter of a pitch at the Beausejour Stadium, Saint Lucia, India capitalized on the batting-friendly conditions thanks to a magnificent knock by their skipper. Rohit combined elegance with brute force, scoring a breathtaking 92 runs off just 41 balls. His innings was a treat to watch, laced with seven boundaries and a staggering eight sixes. Notably, one of his sixes helped him achieve a special feat - recording his 200th six in T20 cricket. The Indian innings got off to a contrasting start. While Rohit began with a delightful flick for four off Mitchell Starc in the very first over, his opening partner Virat Kohli failed to capitalize, mistiming a pull shot and getting dismissed cheaply. Unfazed by the early wicket, Rohit took the attack to the bowlers, particularly Starc. The second over from the Australian pacer turned out to be his most expensive in T20s, conceding a whopping 29 runs. Rohit launched a flurry of boundaries in this over, including two exquisite sixes over extra cover and one in the cow corner region. A mishit that sailed over the stumps added another maximum to his tally. The dominance continued for Rohit as he built a solid 87-run partnership with Rishabh Pant (15 off 14). Pant welcomed the Australian trump card, Adam Zampa, with a six over long-on, but Zampa couldn't manage a wicket in his spell.
Another memorable shot from Rohit's repertoire was a powerful down-on-one-knee six over deep mid-wicket off Pat Cummins in the latter's first over. The Indian batting line-up ensured that none of the Australian bowlers settled into a rhythm. Rohit reached his fifty in record time - the fastest of the tournament - with a single off the last ball of the fifth over. The Indian captain continued his assault, unleashing another six over extra cover off Marcus Stoinis in the eighth over. However, just as it seemed a well-deserved century was on the cards, Starc returned to dismiss Rohit with a well-directed yorker.
While Rohit was the star of the show, other Indian batsmen like Suryakumar Yadav (31 off 15), Hardik Pandya (27* off 17), and Shivam Dube (28 off 22) made valuable contributions. However, India couldn't quite capitalize on the strong platform laid by Rohit, managing just 43 runs in the last five overs for the loss of one wicket. Credit must be given to Josh Hazlewood, who stood out amidst the carnage. He conceded only 14 runs in his four overs, picking up a wicket, while other Australian bowlers struggled to contain the Indian batsmen.
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