India master Guyana surface and weather issues in a marathon semi-final to set up showdown with South Africa
India are on the verge of ending a 13-year major trophy drought after outlasting both England and Guyana’s tropical rainforest climate in a marathon semi-final that spanned five-and-a-half hours.
Only fellow unbeaten side South Africa stand between India and their first major ICC’s men title since 2011 after running rings around the T20 World Cup’s defending champions thanks to another dominant hand from Rohit Sharma and the sorcery of his enviable army of spinners.
Rohit’s men played the challenging conditions perfectly in their 68-run triumph, mastering a Providence Stadium pitch that remained bone dry despite soggy weather forcing the match into the extra time specifically allocated for this match in the absence of a reserve day.
Rohit, fresh off sinking Australia in their final Super Eights game earlier this week, slammed a 39-ball 57 before Suryakumar Yadav hit 47 off 36 to fire their side to 7-171 – a total England captain Jos Buttler admitted was at least 20 runs too many.
“They had an above-par score, we were hoping to restrict them to 145-150 on that sort of pitch. It was always going to be a tough chase from there,” said Buttler.
Slow men Axar Patel (3-23) and Kuldeep Yadav (3-19) were then virtually unplayable on a Georgetown surface that became increasingly hazardous as England folded for just 103.
“Very satisfying to win,” Rohit told the host broadcaster. “Worked very hard as a unit and it was a great effort from all. We adapted really well, conditions were challenging. That’s been the success story for us so far.
“Axar, Kuldeep are gun spinners, it’s tough to play shots against them in these conditions. They were calm under pressure. We had a chat after the first innings, message was to keep the stumps in play. That’s what they did.”
One of India or South Africa will shed their reputation as big-game battlers when the two teams face off in the tournament decider in Barbados at Kensington Oval on Saturday (Sunday 12.30am AEST).
“All I can hope is to put up a good show come the finals,” said Rohit.
Sawdust strewn over damp patches just off one end of the pitch allowed play to finally get underway 75 minutes after the scheduled 10.30am start, with India wobbly to begin after Buttler allowed them to bat first as had been Rohit’s preference.
Virat Kohli’s below-par tournament continued, taking his run tally to disappointing 75 runs in seven games with run-a-ball knock of nine before Reece Topley cramped him for a big shot and hit the top of leg stump.
India were 2-65 off eight overs when a second, longer rain delay halted proceedings. But when they returned, India piled on the runs at close to nine per over with only spinners Adil Rashid (1-25) and Liam Livingstone (0-24) offering any control.
Buttler conceded he had erred in not also calling on the services of off-spinner Moeen Ali, who was a conspicuous absence from the bowling crease.
“With the benefit of hindsight and reflecting, I would have got Moeen in the game,” he said.
“I don’t think (the toss) was the difference. We thought long and hard at selection whether we kept the same balance that we came in with and which had been working well, and did we need four seamers on that particular wicket. That was a really tough call.”
Buttler (23 off 15) made a promising start to his innings but his exit to an attempted reverse-sweep off Axar prompted a flurry of wickets.
Harry Brook (25 off 19) and Jofra Archer (21 off 15) were the only other England batters to pass 12 as their horror day was summed up by a pair of late run outs, including one that left Livingstone fuming with Archer.
Men’s T20 World Cup finals
27 June: Semi-final 1, South Africa beat Afghanistan by nine wickets
28 June: Semi-final 2, India beat England by 68 runs
30 June: Final, Kensington Oval, Barbados, 12.30am AEST
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