At the Darren Sammy International Cricket Stadium in St Lucia on Monday, June 24, India crushed Australia in their Super 8 match of the T20 World Cup 2024. It was not quite retaliation for November 19. The men in blue’s star player, Rohit Sharma, batted like a man possessed, scoring a match-winning 92 off of just 41 balls. Travis Head threatened to spoil India’s celebration once more, but Australia’s chances of defeating the Group 1 leader were dashed when Jasprit Bumrah caught the danger man.
In their allotted 20 overs, Australia managed 181 and lost 7 wickets, but an aggressive Australian batting lineup was deflated by the performances of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel. Kuldeep demonstrated his worth with the ball as India made sure they maintained composure amid a few dangerous partnerships in which Travis Head was involved.
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 run that started in 2014. The only two teams unbeaten in the T20 World Cup are India and South Africa.
India, who advanced to the final four round undefeated, will face England in a rematch of the 2022 semifinal. India has not lost a game in the semifinals since 2014. This is the first time that has happened since then.
Australia’s hopes of advancing past the Super 8 stage were also jeopardised by the victory. Australia, who were taken aback by Afghanistan on Sunday, must lose against Bangladesh in the last Super 8 game on Tuesday morning in order to keep their hopes alive. Mitchell Marsh’s crew would have to return home if Afghanistan were to defeat Australia.
Particularly following Travis Head’s blitz, Australia would have been dissatisfied with the effort of their lower middle-order. The Australian opener, who took apart the Indian attack, especially Jasprit Bumrah, was in incredible form.
76 off just 43, with nine boundaries and four sixes struck. Even though Australia lost David Warner in the opening over, Head’s ingenuity allowed them to quickly reach 62 for 1 in the powerplay.
As they continued to play from both ends, Head and captain Mitchell Marsh pieced together an 81-run stand and threatened to take the game away from India. But in the ninth over, Kuldeep broke the tie when he removed Mitchell Marsh with a powerful blow, after Axar Patel’s potential “catch of the tournament” catch.
With two sixes and three boundaries in his 12-ball 20, Glenn Maxwell seemed like he was going to make a big splash, but Kuldeep got his wriggles in to deceive the Australian all-rounder.
After Axar Patel joined the group, Marcus Stoinis, who was hazardous, was fired for two.
Travis Head continued to be a danger to India since he could always be relied upon to keep the scoreboard moving. Still, Australia’s hopes were dashed by a slower Jasprit Bumrah special that saw the end of Head for 76 (43).
On a day when Hardik Pandya and Bumrah were a bit pricey, Kuldeep and Axar shone as India once again produced an outstanding team effort. Arshdeep Singh contributed by getting the crucial wicket of David Warner and went on to take three more wickets.
During the T20 World Cup, Rohit Sharma established numerous records for India by hitting eight sixes and seven boundaries. The captain of India hit eight sixes, the longest of which was a hundred metres against Pat Cummins. With 203 sixes, Rohit also made history as the first man in men’s T20I history to reach 200 sixes.
In the powerplay, Rohit was at his best against the quicks, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, reaching his fifty in just 19 balls. In the history of the men’s T20 World Cup, it was the fastest fifty scored by a batsman against Australia.
Rohit Sharma appeared to be a man under a spell. Using his strength and range against the Australian bowlers, he was blasting everything into the stands. Rohit did not concede a single inch to the Australian side captained by Mitchell Marsh, giving the impression that he was seeking retribution for the pain of November 19.
India scored the highest ever T20 World Cup score against Australia, scoring 205 runs in 20 overs. Shivam Dube scored a 22-ball 28 with two boundaries and a six, while Suryakumar Yadav contributed with a blistering 31 off only 16 balls. Hardik Pandya struck 27 off just 17 balls, demonstrating his excellent finishing form for India. In the T20 World Cup, India finished strongly, scoring over 200 for the first time under Ravindra Jadeja, who chipped in with 9 off 5 balls and a six.
