India defeated England by 68 runs in the 2024 T20 World Cup Semi-Finals
It was a dominating performance from the Men in Blue, as they controlled the game from start to finish. With this win, India booked a place in the final against South Africa. Let’s look back at how India outplayed England completely.
The match where India outclassed England by 68 runs in the 2nd Semi-Final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on June 27, 2024, at Providence Stadium, Guyana, was a masterclass in T20 cricket. India, batting first after England chose to bowl, posted a solid 171/7 in their 20 overs on a pitch that favoured spinners with its low bounce. England, tasked with chasing 172, crumbled under India’s disciplined bowling attack, bowled out for 103 in 16.4 overs. Axar Patel’s stellar performance with bat and ball earned him Player of the Match, helping India secure a spot in the final against South Africa. This win was a sweet redemption for India’s loss to England in the 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final, showcasing their ability to dominate in clutch moments.
India’s innings kicked off under overcast skies, with rain delaying the start by over an hour. England’s captain, Jos Buttler, won the toss and opted to bowl, hoping to exploit early moisture on a pitch known for assisting spinners and India’s captain, Rohit Sharma, was happy to set a target, confident his team could adapt to the tricky, slow surface. Openers Rohit and Virat Kohli strode out to face Reece Topley’s left-arm pace. Kohli, who had struggled throughout the tournament with just 75 runs, looked to break free early. He lofted a six over cover in the third over but fell soon after for 9 off 9 balls, caught by Jonny Bairstow at point off Topley’s full-length delivery. India were 19/1 after 2.4 overs, and the early loss put them on the back foot.
Rishabh Pant, India’s dynamic wicketkeeper-batter, walked in at No. 3 but found the going tough. The pitch’s low bounce made free-flowing shots difficult, and Pant managed only 4 off 6 balls before edging Sam Curran to Bairstow in the fifth over. At 40/2 by the end of the powerplay (6 overs, 46 runs), India needed stability. Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav stepped up, forging a crucial 73-run partnership for the third wicket. Rohit, in sparkling form, played with authority, reaching his fifty off 36 balls with six fours and two sixes, including a majestic lofted cover drive off Chris Jordan. Suryakumar, more measured, adapted to the conditions, rotating the strike and picking boundaries, like a well-timed sweep off Adil Rashid’s leg-spin.
A rain break halted play after eight overs, with India at 65/2 (Rohit 37, Suryakumar 13) and the 75-minute delay tested India’s focus, but Rohit and Suryakumar resumed with composure. Their partnership reached 50 runs in 38 balls, and India crossed 100 in the 12th over. Rohit’s aggressive approach kept England’s bowlers under pressure, but Rashid struck a blow in the 14th over, bowling him for 57 off 39 balls with a sharp googly. India were 113/3, and Suryakumar, now joined by Hardik Pandya, kept the momentum going. Suryakumar’s 47 off 36 balls, with four fours and two sixes, was vital, but Jofra Archer dismissed him in the 16th over, caught by Jordan at long-off, leaving India at 124/4.
Hardik Pandya brought fireworks, smashing 23 off 13 balls, including a towering six off Jordan. However, England fought back through Jordan, who took 3/37. Pandya was caught by Curran in the 18th over. Shivam Dube fell next ball for a golden duck, caught by Buttler, reducing India to 146/6. Axar Patel chipped in with a quick 10 off 6 balls, including a six off Jordan. Ravindra Jadeja’s unbeaten 17 off 9 balls, with two crisp fours, pushed India to 171/7. Jordan’s double strike and Rashid’s economical 4-0-25-1 kept England in the contest. Liam Livingstone’s tidy 4-0-24-0 added control. Sam Curran’s 2-0-25-1 was costly. Topley’s 3-0-25-1 and Archer’s 4-0-33-1 showed England’s bowlers had moments of brilliance but couldn’t stop India’s late surge.
The pitch’s low bounce and spin-friendly nature made 171 a strong total, well above the par score of 167. Rohit’s high strike rate of 146.15 and the 73-run stand with Suryakumar set the foundation. Hardik, Jadeja, and Axar ensured a flourish at the end. India’s ability to adapt, rotate the strike, and punish loose deliveries, like Curran’s wayward overs, gave them a defendable score. The innings highlighted India’s batting depth and their knack for thriving under pressure, setting the stage for their bowlers to capitalise on the spin-friendly conditions.
England’s chase of 172 started with intent, as openers Phil Salt and Jos Buttler took on Arshdeep Singh’s pace. Buttler, leading from the front, attacked early, hammering three fours in Arshdeep’s second over to race to 26/0 after three overs. India, however, had a plan tailored for the pitch’s low bounce and turn. Axar Patel, brought on in the fourth over, struck gold with his first ball, dismissing Buttler for 23 off 15. Buttler’s attempted reverse sweep was caught sharply by Pant behind the stumps, giving India a breakthrough. England were 26/1, and India’s spin strategy began to take shape.
Jasprit Bumrah, India’s pace ace, joined the attack and removed Salt for 5 off 8 balls in the fifth over, bowled by a clever slower delivery that crashed into the stumps. Axar kept the pressure on, trapping Jonny Bairstow for a three-ball duck in the sixth over, leaving England at 35/3. The powerplay ended with 39 runs but three big wickets, exposing England’s middle order to India’s spinners. Moeen Ali, sent in to counter spin, struggled to find rhythm, managing 8 off 10 before Axar stumped him in the eighth over. England were 46/4, and the required run rate was climbing fast.
Kuldeep Yadav, India’s wrist-spinner, entered the attack and wreaked havoc. He dismissed Sam Curran for 2 off 4 balls via lbw in the ninth over, confirmed after England’s review failed, leaving them at 49/5. Harry Brook, England’s most dangerous batter, showed fight with 25 off 19 balls, including three boundaries, but Kuldeep’s googly bowled him in the 11th over, reducing England to 68/6 and the chase was unravelling, and India’s spinners were in complete control. Chris Jordan fell lbw to Kuldeep for 1 off 5 in the 13th over, a decision upheld on review, leaving England at 72/7 and staring at a heavy defeat.
Liam Livingstone, England’s last hope, battled to 11 off 16 but fell to a run-out in the 15th over after a mix-up with Jofra Archer, thanks to Kuldeep and Axar’s quick thinking in the field. Adil Rashid was run out for 2 off 2 in the next over, courtesy of Suryakumar Yadav’s pinpoint throw, leaving England at 88/9. Archer provided brief resistance with 21 off 15 balls, hitting a four and two sixes, but Bumrah sealed the game in the 17th over, trapping him lbw for 103 all out. The decision was upheld after a review, ending England’s hopes.
India’s bowlers were sensational. Axar’s 3/23 in four overs, dismissing Buttler, Bairstow, and Moeen, set the tone, while Kuldeep’s 3/19, including Brook and Jordan, was equally destructive and Bumrah’s 2/12, with Salt and Archer as his victims, showed his class, and Arshdeep’s disciplined 2-0-17-0 kept the pressure on. Ravindra Jadeja’s 3-0-16-0 and Hardik Pandya’s 1-0-14-0 supported the main attack. India’s fielding was sharp, with Pant’s stumping and two run-outs proving decisive, a stark contrast to their fielding lapses in other matches.
England’s aggressive approach, effective in their 2022 title run, faltered against India’s spin chokehold. The pitch’s turn and low bounce amplified India’s bowling strategy, with Axar and Kuldeep exploiting it perfectly. England’s collapse from 39/3 in the powerplay to 103 all out highlighted India’s dominance.