India secured their spot in the semifinals of the T20 World Cup 2024 with a convincing 24-run victory over Australia in their final Super Eights match in Saint Lucia, setting up a semifinal showdown against England.
Skipper Rohit Sharma played an unforgettable innings as India secured a spot in the semifinals of the T20 World Cup 2024 with a 24-run victory over Australia in their final Super Eights match in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia on Monday.
The juggernaut will continue to roll on ๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ณ
India become the third team to book a semi-final berth with a superb win over Australia ๐ pic.twitter.com/o1m1HhZ0LF
Rohit Sharma's masterful 92 off 41 balls showcased a blend of power and grace, propelling India to 205 for five after Australia chose to bowl on a favourable batting pitch. In response, Australia finished at 181 for seven.
๐๐๐ข๐-๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐จ โ
โ
๐ผ ๐๐ช๐ฅ๐๐ง(๐) ๐๐๐ฃ! ๐
Make that 3โฃ victories in a row in the Super Eight for as they beat Australia by 24 runs! ๐๐ | pic.twitter.com/LNA58vqWMQ
Facing potential elimination from the tournament, Australia demonstrated their trademark resilience in the chase, led by skipper Mitchell Marsh (37 off 28), who rediscovered his form, and Travis Head (76 off 43), India's nemesis from the ODI World Cup final last year, who played a sensational innings.
Kuldeep Yadav (2/24), Jasprit Bumrah (1/29), and Arshdeep Singh (3/37) formed a formidable trio that thwarted the Australians. India secured their place as group leaders.
Australia, after their second defeat in three matches, now rely on Afghanistan's match against Bangladesh to determine their fate in the race for the second semifinal spot from Group 1.
India maintained their perfect record in the Super Eights with a third consecutive victory, setting up a semifinal clash with defending champions England in Guyana on Thursday.
It was the Hitman show! ๐ฅ You were simply brilliant with the bat, ! ๐ Our unbeaten run continues as we head to the semis! ๐ช Let's bring this trophy home, boys! ๐๐ฎ๐ณ pic.twitter.com/7oKNXLlrX2
โ Jay Shah (@JayShah)Australia put up a spirited fight during their chase but faltered in the final overs.
The partnership of 86 runs between Head and Marsh was highlighted by their impressive ability to strike the ball.
Marsh showcased his prowess with powerful short-arm pulls for sixes, while Head targeted the straight boundaries. Head's flat six off Hardik Pandya down the ground was a standout moment, reminiscent of his aggressive batting in Ahmedabad on November 19.
In the midst of Marsh and Head's powerful batting display, Kuldeep Yadav's bowling shone brightly. One of his dismissals, however, owed much to Axar Patel's brilliance, who leaped at deep square leg to take a stunning one-handed catch and send Marsh packing.
CATCH OF THE T20I WORLD CUP HISTORY - AXAR. ๐ซก pic.twitter.com/dKTftwdTdz
โ Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)The catch of Axar Patel. ๐ฅถ pic.twitter.com/5jYDe4Fc8V
โ Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra)With 65 runs required from 30 balls and Head still at the crease, the game hung in the balance until Jasprit Bumrah, the standout performer, returned to dismiss the opener with a well-disguised slower ball. Australia struggled to accelerate thereafter.
Jasprit Bumrah does the trick ๐
He gets the wicket of Travis Head as Captain Rohit Sharma takes the catch ๐
Follow The Match โถ๏ธ https://t.co/L78hMho6Te | | | | pic.twitter.com/GqszG4MuL6
Earlier, on the most batsman-friendly pitch of the tournament, Australia opted to bowl first against India. Rohit Sharma capitalized on the favorable conditions, playing a sublime innings that included seven fours and eight sixes, including his record-extending 200th six in the format.
The match began auspiciously for India when Rohit flicked Mitchell Starc for a boundary in the opening over. However, Virat Kohli (0) mistimed a pull off Josh Hazlewood in the next over and was caught in the deep.
Rohit Sharma continued to dominate, aggressively taking on Mitchell Starc, whose second over proved to be his most expensive in the format, conceding 29 runs.
Rohit Sharma's innings was a masterclass in power hitting, beginning with two elegant aerial drives over extra cover for sixes before dispatching another into the cow corner region.
The fourth maximum of the over came fortuitously, a mishit that still sailed over the wicketkeeper's head.
Rohit was at his destructive best during his partnership of 87 runs with Rishabh Pant (15 off 14), who welcomed leg-spinner Adam Zampa with a towering six over long-on. Zampa, Australia's key bowler, remained wicketless.
Talk about leading from the front ๐ซก
Captain Rohit Sharma put on a stunning show with the bat to set up 's win & bagged the Player of the Match award ๐ ๐ | | pic.twitter.com/gCo66HWeVa
Another highlight was Rohit's stylish six over deep mid-wicket off Pat Cummins in the latter's first over.
India deserves credit for unsettling every bowler. Rohit reached his fifty by the end of the fifth over with a single, marking the fastest fifty of the tournament.
When Marcus Stoinis entered the attack in the eighth over, Rohit effortlessly lofted a six over extra cover.
Rohit's authority was evident as he meticulously targeted every renowned bowler.
He was on course for a well-deserved century until Mitchell Starc returned to dismiss him with a yorker.
Suryakumar Yadav (31 off 15), Hardik Pandya (27 not out off 17), and Shivam Dube (28 off 22) made valuable contributions, yet India couldn't capitalize in the final five overs, managing only 43 runs for the loss of one wicket.
While other bowlers struggled, Josh Hazlewood seemed to operate on a different level, conceding just 14 runs and claiming one wicket in his economical four overs.
After India's victory, numerous users on X, formerly known as Twitter, celebrated the team's redemption from the ODI World Cup 2023 finals against Australia. "Nov 19 ka badla pura hua" resounded across social media platforms as fans eagerly anticipate the thrilling India vs England clash in the T20 World Cup 2024 semifinals on June 27.
Here's a look at how netizens reacted:
Here we go ham jit gye ๐ฅ๐ป๐ฅณ
Aakhir badla le lia Australia se ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ
India in semi finals ๐ฅต๐ฅ pic.twitter.com/Zp2bA9sgLU
Poora hua badla vs Aus pic.twitter.com/ry5vNnMo5h
โ Vish (@Vish93825)Aaj Iska Badla liya hai Ham Australia ko harake ๐ฅ๐.
Congratulations team India for semi-final โ๐ฝ๐งฟ.
Thankyou Boom Boom Bumrah tum ๐ Ho .
Thankyou my Favourite Rohit sharma ๐งฟ๐. pic.twitter.com/kbAxOvsSon
Badla poora hua pic.twitter.com/olgKOwCtyP
โ (AJ) Joshi๐ฎ๐ณ (@itsyoaj)INDIA DEFEATED AUSTRALIA IN THE SUPER 8...!!!!
- Top of the table in Super 8. ๐ฎ๐ณ
Just wow what a hame we are in to Semiโs what a game full of team effort
Captain knock, Bumrahโs magic, kuldeep amazing bowing ๐๐ป
wow finally badla le he liya ๐ฅน pic.twitter.com/fl29y9iaLO
Revenge is served pic.twitter.com/3zmPE7U6oR
โ Yolo247 (@Yolo247Official)ka badla pura ho gaya! beats to enter the semi-finals of ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024! pic.twitter.com/9JJ2fkBtG1
โ Sashanka Chakraborty (@SashankGuw)Aaj Humara Badla Pura Hua
Wt a Match
Hum Kisi Se Km Nahi
Thaan Le Agr Hm Badla Lene Ka
To Humaare Aage Kisi Mai Dum Nhi Vs
Kaisa laga badla australia walo...๐ฎ๐ณ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ.....India into the semi final..... pic.twitter.com/6Xm6UklYu1
โ Dipankar Koch (@DipankarKoch24)Badla done โ ! 19 November squashed with 24 june ๐ฅน ! India vs Australia ๐ pic.twitter.com/2H8OaskZHk
โ about chandigarh news (@ankuripro)19 NOVEMBER KA BADLA PURA ๐๐๐๐!
WELL PLAYED TEAM INDIA ๐ฎ๐ณ
AUSTRALIA AND PAT CUMMINS ๐คซ๐คซ๐คซ pic.twitter.com/u1bRUiA5cM