Believe it or not, since Sri Lanka’s 27-run win over West Indies in the first semi-final of the 2014 T20 World Cup—the last time India reached the final in a T20 World Cup—no side batting first had won a knockout game in the tournament’s history. Over five editions, there had been 12 consecutive instances of the chasing side clinching the semi-final or the final. However, the Men in Blue changed that on June 27, ending the streak on the 13th attempt by brushing England aside in the second semi-final with a convincing 68-run victory.

Asked to bat first, India mounted an above-par total at the Providence Stadium in Guyana, scoring 171/7. England started well in their chase but soon faced their worst nightmare as the Indian spinners took control. The English batters found themselves ensnared, ultimately surrendering to India’s bowling attack and breaking the long-standing trend of successful chases in knockout games.

See Also: T20 WC 2024: Match Analysis: How did Afghanistan’s nightmare unfold in just 60 minutes?

Analysis of India & England’s Spin Performance in the Semifinal

When Jos Buttler struck three boundaries in Arshdeep Singh’s second over, England believed they could chase down the target despite India setting a formidable total. Sensing the urgency, Rohit Sharma brought Axar Patel into the attack in the next over. Buttler, attempting to keep the momentum, opted for a high-risk shot right away. He attempted a reverse sweep on Axar’s first delivery, a shot based more on chance than calculation. Unfortunately for England, Buttler toe-edged the ball straight to Rishabh Pant, departing for 23 off 15 balls.

This moment proved to be a major turning point in the clash. Facing a peculiar left-arm spinner like Axar on a slow surface with the new ball, Buttler’s aggressive approach backfired. His early dismissal highlighted a miscalculated risk. The plan was likely to disrupt the Indian spinners early, but Buttler put too much at stake too soon, given the significance of his wicket. Before this semi-final, the England openers had accounted for 47.3% of their team runs, the second highest for any team. However, both Salt and Buttler were back in the pavilion within the first five overs, leaving England in a precarious position.

Jonny Bairstow, struggling to adapt, re-lived his red-ball nightmares against Axar Patel in the white-ball format. Attempting to open up the off side, he was clean bowled, failing to execute effectively. This wicket marked a rapid collapse for England, with three wickets falling in 13 balls for just nine runs. Bairstow’s dismissal highlighted the team’s poor execution as they aimed to dominate early but fell short. England found themselves already in a dire situation, and India capitalized on this momentum.

Rohit Sharma then applied relentless pressure, deploying nine consecutive overs of spin in the middle phase of the game. The spin trio of Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ravindra Jadeja collectively tightened the noose around England’s batting lineup. They claimed four more wickets as England crumbled from 39/3 to 86/8. Kuldeep impressed with figures of 3/19 in his four overs, while Axar, earning the Player of the Match award, finished with 3/23. Jadeja contributed with three economical overs, conceding only 16 runs. India’s spinners, exploiting the conditions perfectly, dismantled England’s batting order.

This decisive strategy left England on their knees, unable to recover. The relentless spin attack ensured that India maintained control throughout, leading to a comprehensive and convincing victory. Rohit Sharma led by example, forging a crucial partnership with Suryakumar Yadav that set the tone for India’s innings. The duo added 73 runs off 50 balls for the third wicket, skillfully balancing respect for the conditions with maintaining a high tempo.

They handled Adil Rashid with confidence and capitalized on England’s inefficient bowling, ensuring the momentum stayed with India. As the innings progressed, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, and Hardik Pandya built on the solid foundation laid by the Mumbai pair. They contributed 50 runs between them in just 28 balls, accelerating the scoring rate and setting a challenging target for England. Their late-order surge ensured that India ended their innings on a high note.

See Also: T20 WC 2024: Player Analysis: How did Rohit Sharma decimate Australia’s bowling attack?