In a thrilling turn of events at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, Indian captain Rohit Sharma did not hide his relief at the Australian cricket team being knocked out of the tournament. This significant development comes ahead of India’s all-important semi-final clash against England at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.

Rohit Sharma’s relief

When asked about his biggest takeaway from the victory over Australia, Rohit Sharma’s witty remark, “That there is no more Australian cricket team in this competition,” left everyone in splits. This statement underlined the immense pressure and respect that the Australian cricket team commands in the cricketing world.

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India have had a stellar run in the tournament so far, remaining unbeaten in the group stages. Key matches and turning points include their victories over Pakistan and South Africa, which solidified their dominance and boosted team morale.

The Match against Australia

The clash against Australia was a pivotal moment for India. Rohit Sharma was the star of the show, delivering a sublime knock of 92 runs in just 41 balls. His aggressive batting set the tone for India’s innings, allowing them to post a competitive total. Contributions from other key players like Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, and Arshdeep Singh with the ball ensured that Australia’s chase fell short by 24 runs.

Pre-Match Press conference

At the pre-match press conference ahead of the semi-final against England, Rohit Sharma’s confidence was palpable. His witty remark about Australia’s elimination highlighted the mental edge India gained from their victory over the Australians. The press conference also emphasized the importance of confidence and execution in T20 cricket.

“That there is no more Australian cricket team in this competition,” said Rohit while breaking into laughter.

Confidence boost for India

The victory over Australia provided a significant confidence boost for the Indian team. T20 cricket is often described as a game of confidence, where the mental state of players can greatly influence their performance. The Indian team’s ability to defend a challenging total against a formidable Australian batting line-up instilled a sense of belief and momentum.

“Australia is a great side. That is the reason they have won so many championships. The last game was the confidence of bowlers executing their plans. The batters going out and doing your jobs. So I think, that was the big one for us. When you play a game against a quality team and win like that, that gives you so much confidence. This format is all about confidence. As long as you have confidence in what you want to do, you are putting your foot in the right direction. That is what we wanted from that game. We wanted to take a lot of confidence. Batters getting the job done and bowlers trying to defend that score.”

Rohit Sharma’s personal satisfaction

For Rohit Sharma, the match against Australia was personally satisfying. He has long aspired to dominate high-pressure games by putting pressure on bowlers, and his performance against Australia was a testament to his hard work and strategic acumen.

“We know the batting line-up Australia has, no score is safe. For us to defend and win by 20 odd runs, it was a great confidence. Personally, I wanted to try something that I have been trying for a number of years, which was to put pressure on the bowlers. For me to do that was a great satisfaction. I was waiting for that game. When the result is in your favour, it is a great satisfaction,” Rohit added.

India’s Quest for ICC Trophy

India’s cricketing history have seen its fair share of heartbreaks, most notably the 2023 World Cup final loss to Australia. Such defeats have left an indelible mark on the team and its supporters, adding to the pressure to win a global title.

India’s last global title came in 2013 when they won the Champions Trophy. The team have not won the T20 World Cup since the inaugural edition in 2007 under MS Dhoni’s captaincy. The 11-year drought for a major ICC trophy is a significant motivator for the current squad.