T20 World Cup: India entered the finals and destroyed England with their spin attack

T20 World Cup: India entered the finals and destroyed England with their spin attack

Summary: After Rohit Sharma's spectacular innings with his bat, Indian spinners dominated on a sluggish Guyana pitch, outscoring England by 68 runs.


With near-perfect revenge, India raced into the final, setting up a title match against South Africa. It was a spectacle seen on countless Test journeys to the subcontinent, but one that occurred in the semi-finals of the men's T20 World Cup in scorching Guyana. 

 

In a thrilling finish, England collapsed for a crushing 68-run loss, sealing an encounter between India and South Africa for the Saturday final at Kensington Oval. For the first time in ten years, the Men in Blue have advanced to the T20 World Cup final, where they will face South Africa on Saturday, June 29, in Barbados.

 

In the last T20 World Cup semi-final in Adelaide, India was defeated by 10 wickets on a flat surface. At that time, Jos Buttler's team had amassed 168 runs in 16 overs without losing a single wicket. But on Thursday at Providence Stadium, India easily defeated England by 68 runs, exposing their vulnerability to spin on a slow surface. India scored 171, only three points higher than their two-year total. 

 

However, Jos Buttler's team ultimately found the score too high, as they were dismissed for 103 in 16.4 overs. Following an 80-minute rain delay, Rohit Sharma's team scored 171 for seven, and it was clear that the sluggish, uneven surface at Providence Stadium would make the chase difficult.

 

Rohit Sharma intended to bat first, but it didn't turn out to be a smart decision. Instead, based on his interpretation of the conditions, he determined that running on the board was the best option. 

 

Striking 57 from 39 balls to help establish the score, Sharma then watched in delight as Axar Patel, 3/23, and Kuldeep Yadav, 3/19, secured India's eighth straight win and a chance to break their 11-year international trophy drought this weekend.