Sudhanshu Shekhar
India’s journey to the T20 World Cup 2024 semi-finals was bolstered by a stunning performance from Rohit Sharma, who led his team to a 24-run victory over Australia. Batting first, India posted a challenging 205 for 5, thanks largely to Rohit’s scintillating 92 off 43 balls. Australia, in response, could manage only 181 for 7.
On a sun-drenched morning in St Lucia, India’s captain Rohit Sharma put on a masterclass in T20 batting. Despite losing Virat Kohli for a duck early on, Rohit launched a fierce counter-attack. He struck boundaries at will, scoring 76 runs through fours and sixes. His onslaught included taking 29 runs off a single over from Mitchell Starc, showcasing his dominance.
Josh Hazlewood stood out among Australia’s bowlers with figures of 1 for 14, but the rest struggled to contain Rohit. Starc, initially expensive, made a comeback by adjusting his length and varying his pace, ultimately dismissing Rohit and Suryakumar Yadav. Nevertheless, Hardik Pandya’s late fireworks ensured India crossed the 200-run mark.
Australia’s chase began poorly with the early loss of David Warner. However, Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh rebuilt the innings, taking the score to 65 for 1 at the end of the powerplay. Head’s aggressive play kept Australia in contention, but India struck back with Axar Patel’s spectacular catch to dismiss Marsh, followed by Kuldeep Yadav’s mesmerizing delivery that bowled Glenn Maxwell.
Kuldeep’s spell (2 for 24) and Arshdeep Singh’s crucial breakthroughs (3 for 37) were pivotal in tightening India’s grip on the match. As the required run rate escalated, Australia’s batting faltered, unable to find the necessary acceleration in the final overs.
This victory, marked by Rohit’s exceptional batting and India’s disciplined bowling, sets up a T20 World Cup semi-final clash with England in Guyana. Australia’s hopes of advancing now depend on the outcome of the Bangladesh vs. Afghanistan match, where they need a favourable result to keep their tournament dreams alive.
Image source: Internet
Disclaimer: Educational purpose blog with no commercial use intended.
Read More: Tathastu Media
For Lifestyle Content: Tathastu Lifestyle
