- England must beat India in Guyana if they’re to defend their T20 title
England will face India in Guyana on Thursday, in a repeat of their T20 World Cup semi-final conflict in Adelaide two years in the past, after the Indians brushed apart Australia by 24 runs in St Lucia.
A pulsating 92 off 41 balls from Rohit Sharma set them on their manner in the direction of an imposing 205 for 5, and never even one other excellent innings from India’s nemesis Travis Head – who spanked 76 off 43 – may take the Australians shut.
With India all the time booked-in for Guyana because the ICC look to maximise the South Asian TV viewers for Thursday’s 10.30am begin (3.30pm within the UK), England knew the one manner they might find yourself within the first semi-final – in Trinidad on Sunday – was if Australia changed India on the high of the group by chasing the runs in 15.3 overs or much less.
That was all the time unlikely, however the Australians had been nonetheless hopeful of the victory that might have put stress on Afghanistan not solely to beat Bangladesh in Monday’s late sport in St Vincent however – crucially – to remain forward of the Australians’ web run-rate.
As an alternative, as Australia slipped from a promising 128 for 2 off 13 overs to complete on 181 for seven, they had been merely left hoping for an Afghanistan defeat. Improbably, Bangladesh even had a route into the final 4 forward of each groups, however that required an enormous win – by 62 runs – over the Afghans.
Rohit Sharma hit 92 towards Australia, serving to ebook India’s T20 semi-final spot towards England
For an Australian workforce who arrived within the Caribbean trying to unite the ICC’s three world titles, a pre-semi-final elimination can be a lame demise after they received their first 5 matches, a sequence that included victory over England in Barbados. However Afghanistan beat them on Saturday in St Vincent, and India’s win positioned their destiny within the palms of others.
‘It’s disappointing,’ stated their captain Mitchell Marsh, whose unhealthy drop to reprieve Hardik Pandya on 4 typified his aspect’s unexpectedly shoddy fielding at this World Cup. ‘India had been the higher workforce, and Sharma received them off to an absolute flyer. Come on Bangladesh!’
Whoever claims the fourth semi-final spot on Tuesday will face South Africa in Trinidad within the small hours of Thursday morning, after they broke the hearts of co-hosts West Indies in Antigua on Sunday night time.
Australian captain Mitchell Marsh bemoaned his workforce’s efficiency towards India
England will face India within the T20 World Cup semi-finals, held in Guyana on Thursday
England, in the meantime, might be up towards a workforce hell bent on revenge after Jos Buttler’s aspect humiliated them by 10 wickets at Adelaide again in November 2022.
India stay with out a international trophy of any form since profitable the 2013 Champions Trophy, however are one in every of solely two unbeaten sides on this event, together with South Africa, and in Jasprit Bumrah boast its excellent bowler.
Sharma, in the meantime, reduce a steely determine after subduing Australia’s high-class assault. He received going with 4 sixes within the sport’s third over, from Mitchell Starc, and by no means paused for breath, ending with eight of India’s 15 sixes and 7 of their 14 fours, and peppering each nook of the Daren Sammy Stadium.
‘Whenever you see the wicket is sweet, you need to again your self to play these type of photographs,’ he stated. ‘I’m glad it got here off.’
Victory over Australia was its personal type of payback after two centuries from Head final yr had downed India within the finals of each the World Check Championship at The Oval and the 50-over World Cup in Ahmedabad.
Now, they’ve an opportunity to land a retaliatory knockout blow on England too.
