For Team India, coached by Rohit Sharma, the T20 World Cup semifinal match against England on Thursday started off as a dream but quickly turned into a nightmare. They first scored 168 runs before seeing the target be reached in in 16 overs. Jos Buttler and Alex Hales batted brilliantly while the Indian bowlers offered no resistance (80* and 86* respectively). In the final on Sunday, England will now take on Pakistan. It was another defeat for India in an ICC tournament knockout game. Since winning the inaugural competition in 2007, the loss ensured that India’s quest for a T20 World Cup championship remained. India last claimed an ICC championship in 2013, defeating England in the Champions Trophy final. After that,
Sunil Gavaskar, a former captain of India, noted that it seems that losing in knockout games is becoming the norm. “I just think, they just seem to freeze in the knockout games, particularly with the batting. It’s the batting which has been the strength of the Indian team. In the semi-finals, the batting hasn’t contributed as much as they should,” Sunil Gavaskar said on Star Sports after India’s loss. “At that stage you face much powerful attacks, than may be in the group stages. Maybe that is understandable. Batting hasn’t really got the runs that the bowlers can defend. India have always been a good chasing side but the moment Buttler won the toss and elected to bowl first, I though India must get 180 runs on board. But they were 170 for no loss, even 180 would not have been enough. But it gives that little bit of cushion which they didn’t have this time.”
Speaking of the game, Hales hit seven sixes in his 86* in the second semi-final in Adelaide, and Buttler hit three in a mesmerising batting display to easily advance to Sunday’s final in Melbourne with four overs to spare. The England-Ireland shocker earlier in the tournament was a far cry from this. “That feels a long time ago now,” said Buttler. “The character we’ve shown to get through the tournament since then, and put in our best performance today, has been amazing.” India reached 168-6 thanks to Hardik Pandya’s 33-ball 63, but England, chasing their second T20 championship after their 2010 triumph, found the total lacking in the face of an inspired opening pair.