A strong batting display by Rohit Sharma, complemented by lethal spells from Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav, saw India defeat the reigning champions, England, by 68 runs to advance to the T20 World Cup final. It has been over a decade since India last stood atop the podium, and they are now on the verge of reclaiming that glory. Their final hurdle is a formidable South African side, with the championship match scheduled for Saturday, June 29, at Barbados' Kensington Oval.
England's pace attack came out swinging, putting India on the back foot early on. Reece Topley delivered a shock to the crowd by bowling out Virat Kohli for a mere 9, after Kohli played a risky shot that cost him his wicket. The pressure mounted further when Sam Curran dismissed the aggressive Rishabh Pant for just 4. However, Rohit Sharma stepped up, silencing his critics who often question his big-game temperament, by playing a masterclass on a challenging pitch where the ball stayed low.
Rohit anchored the innings with 57 runs off 39 deliveries, including six boundaries and two maximums. Suryakumar Yadav also played a vital role, contributing a handy 47. Hardik Pandya added some fireworks with two massive sixes in his quick-fire 23 off 13 balls. With small but important cameos from Ravindra Jadeja (17) and Axar (10), India managed to post a competitive total of 171/7 in their 20 overs, despite Chris Jordan's impressive three-wicket haul for England.
Jos Buttler started the chase aggressively, smashing four fours to give England a flying start. However, a tactical bowling change paid off for India, as Axar Patel dismissed Buttler for 23 in the 4th over. The momentum shifted further when Jasprit Bumrah cleaned up the dangerous Phil Salt for 5. Axar continued his rampage, removing Jonny Bairstow for a duck and then outsmarting Moeen Ali (8) shortly after, leaving England crumbling at 46/4. While Harry Brook and Jofra Archer managed 25 and 21 respectively, Kuldeep Yadav tore through the tail to bowl England out for 103, with both Axar and Kuldeep finishing with three wickets each.