T20 World Cup: IND vs AUS, India qualifies for the semi-finals and beats Australia by 24 runs
Summary: India became the third team, after South Africa and England, to reach the semi-finals of the current mega tournament.
India defeated Australia by 24 runs in their last Super Eight match in St Lucia to advance to the T20 World Cup 2024 semi-finals. With the win in Group 1, India reached a point total of 6—a feat that none of Australia, Afghanistan, or Bangladesh could match.
Regarding the match, India amassed 205 for 5 in 20 overs thanks to 92 runs off 41 balls from Rohit Sharma, who also smashed seven fours and eight sixes. Mitchell Marsh (37 off 28) and Travis Head (76 off 43) kept Australia in the chase, but India took control of the match after they left.
In their allotted 20 overs, Australia managed 181 and lost 7 wickets, but the innings of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel deflated an aggressive Australian batting lineup. Kuldeep proved his worth with the ball as India maintained composure amid a few dangerous partnerships involving Travis Head.
India's victory by 24 runs guaranteed them a spot in the T20 World Cup 2024 semifinals. India maintained their unbeaten streak in the competition by topping the Group 1 table. In the men's T20 World Cup, it was also India's third straight victory over Australia, a streak that started in 2014. The only two teams unbeaten in the T20 World Cup are India and South Africa.
After going undefeated through the round of four, India will face England in the 2022 semifinal rematch. India has not lost a game in the semifinals since 2014. This is a first for the country.
The victory also threatened Australia's chances of moving beyond the Super 8 stage. Australia would need Afghanistan to lose against Bangladesh in the final Super 8 match on Tuesday morning to keep their hopes alive. If Afghanistan beats Australia, Mitchell Marsh's team will have to return home.