T20 World Cup 2024, IND vs AUS: Rohit Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav and Arshdeep Singh shine as India beat Australia by 24 runs and advance to semi-finals.
Brief Scores: India 205/5 (Rohit Sharma 92, Suryakumar Yadav 31, Mitchell Starc 2/45) beat Australia 181/7 (Travis Head 76, Arshdeep Singh 3/37, Kuldeep Yadav 2/24) by 24 runs.
Player Of The Match: Rohit Sharma (92 off 41)
India brushed aside the 50-over champions Australia by 24 runs in their final Super Eight game to reach the semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2024. Riding on the back of a superlative 92 from captain Rohit Sharma, India reached 205 which proved too steep for Australia. Kuldeep Yadav was the star for India with the ball, finishing with 2/24 off his four overs.
Rohit Sharma powers India to a huge total
Inserted into batting first, India lost Virat Kohli for a duck to Josh Hazlewood. But their skipper launched a counter-attack bringing the team fifty in the fifth over and his own half-century off 19 balls. India continued the assault post the powerplay (60/1) as they made 54 runs in the next four overs for the loss of Rishabh Pant.
The second half of the innings began well with Suryakumar Yadav taking the centre stage and India reaching 162/4 with five overs to go. However, some disciplined bowling saw Australia pull back at the death as they conceded only 43 in that phase. India eventually reached 205 in this all-important contest.
Read More: T20 World Cup 2024, IND vs BAN: Pandya 50*, Kuldeep 3-19 boost India's claim to semi-final spot
Kuldeep and pacers help India restrict the mighty Aussies
The Aussie chase started the way similar to that of India’s innings as they lost David Warner in the very first over. Then it was the Travis Head show. He continued his stunning run of form against India. Along with skipper Mitchell Marsh who rode his luck along the way, Australia prospered to 65/1 in the first six overs.
Though Kuldeep Yadav halted Australia’s progress by bowling two economical overs post the powerplay, they plundered 26 in Hardik Pandya’s two overs to reach 99/2 at the halfway mark. Head reached his half-century in just 24 balls.
Glenn Maxwell began well as Ravindra Jadeja’s over post the break cost India 17 runs. But they came back strong with twin wickets of Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis. With 65 runs needed off the last five overs, India pacers proved too good for the Aussies. A spirited effort of a 43-ball 76 from Head wasn’t enough for them to go past the finish line.
Statistical Highlights from India vs Australia, Super 8s
Mitchell Starc gave away 29 runs in his second over, the most he has conceded in an over in T20Is.
Rohit Sharma is the first batter to get 200 sixes in T20I cricket.
Rohit’s 19-ball fifty is the fastest in this tournament.
His 92 off 41 is the second-highest score by an India batter in T20 World Cups after Suresh Raina’s 101.
Eight sixes by Rohit are the most by an India batter in an innings in T20 World Cups.
Rohit now has 4165 runs in T20I cricket and he goes past Babar Azam to become the leading run-scorer in the format.
205/5 by India is their third highest total in T20 World Cups and the joint-highest total achieved against Australia in tournament history.
Points Table Scenario & What's Next
As a result of this win, India are through to the semi-finals. They will be up against England at Guyana on June 27. Australia will keep an eye on the Afghanistan-Bangladesh game, where a win for Rashid Khan’s men would see them become the fourth semi-finalists.