Australia vs India: Who won yesterday’s Super 8 match in 2024 T20 World Cup?
India beat Australia by 24 runs in yesterday's ICC Men's 2024 T20 World Cup Super 8 match at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia. With the win, the Men in Blue also confirmed their place in the knockouts. They will meet England in the second semifinal in Guyana on June 27.
As for Australia, they need to hope that Bangladesh beat Afghanistan in the last Super 8 match in Kingstown on Tuesday but by not a big enough margin so that the Aussies finish second in Group 1.
Speaking of the India vs Australia clash, the Men in Blue put up 205-5 after being asked to bat first. Skipper Rohit Sharma led from the front, hammering 92 off 41 with seven fours and eight sixes. In their chase, Australia were held to 181-7 despite Travis Head's magnificent 76 off 43 as Arshdeep Singh claimed 3-37 and Kuldeep Yadav 2-24.
Batting first, Team India lost Virat Kohli for a duck as he miscued a pull off Josh Hazlewood. Rohit, though, went hammer and tongs and never allowed the Australian bowlers to settle in. The Indian captain went after Mitchell Starc in the third over and clobbered him for four sixes and a four in a 29-run over.
Rohit kept on attacking and raced to a 19-ball fifty, the fastest in the ongoing T20 World Cup. He slammed Marcus Stoinis for a four and two sixes in the eighth over, but the Aussie pacer dismissed Rishabh Pant (15), having him caught at long-off off a leading edge.
At the other end, the Team India captain was looking good for a stunning hundred but fell just short. He was bowled by a Starc yorker as he looked for another big hit.
Australia's bowlers fought back well after Rohit's dismissal. However, Suryakumar Yadav (31 off 16) and Hardik Pandya (27* off 17) made crucial contributions to lift the Men in Blue past the 200-run mark.
Team India survive Travis Head scare
In their chase, Australia lost David Warner for 6 as he was caught at slip by a well- directed outswinger from Arshdeep. Head and skipper Mitchell Marsh (37 off 28), who lived dangerously, though, put the pressure back on India, adding a whirlwind 81 for the second wicket.
It needed a stunning one-handed catch by Axar Patel at deep square leg off Kuldeep to end the Australian captain's stay at the crease. Glenn Maxwell (20 off 12) threatened briefly but threw it away as he stepped out and was bowled by a Kuldeep googly.
Stoinis (2) then reverse-swept Axar to backward point, where Pandya took the catch on rebound.
As long as Head was out in the middle, though, Australia had hope. It needed the brilliance of Jasprit Bumrah to end the Aussie opener's fine knock. The Indian pacer foxed Head with a cutter and forced the left-hander to skew the ball to cover in the 17th over, with Australia's score reading 150.
Australia vs India: Who won Player of the Match in yesterday's 2024 T20 World Cup match?
Rohit was sensational for India with the willow, scoring 92 at a strike rate of 224.39. Kuldeep and Arshdeep were among the wickets again.
For Australia, Hazlewood was economical with figures of 1-14 in his four overs. Head almost pulled off another win for the Aussies against India, clubbing nine fours and four sixes in his 76.
Rohit, though, was the easy choice for the Player of the Match for his spectacular innings.