Top 3 knocks in India-England matches at the Men's T20 World Cup ft. Yuvraj Singh
Team India are set to face England in the semi-final of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024 on Thursday, June 27. The Providence Stadium in Guyana will host this highly anticipated clash between the two previous champions.
India are unbeaten in the tournament so far. They began their Super 8s campaign with a 47-run victory over Afghanistan. Next up, India beat Bangladesh by 50 runs in another convincing win before handing Australia a 24-run defeat in their final Super 8s game to seal their spot in the Men's T20 World Cup 2024 semi-final.
England, who are also the defending champions having won the previous edition in 2022, beat West Indies by 22 runs in their first Super 8s fixture. They suffered a narrow seven-run loss at the hands of South Africa in their following game. However, they bounced back with a commanding ten-wicket triumph over the USA in their final Super 8s clash to make it to the semi-finals.
Both sides are set to face off in a Men's T20 World Cup semi-final yet again. In the semi-final of the 2022 edition, England steamrolled India, winning by 10 wickets, after which they also went on to win the final.
India are in great form heading into the semi-final clash this time around. Rohit Sharma and his men will certainly be keen to avenge their embarrassing loss from the 2022 semi-final.
The rivalry between these two sides has produced some of the finest performances in the history of the T20 World Cup.
Here are the Top 3 knocks in India-England matches at the Men's T20 World Cup.
#3 Yuvraj Singh
None can forget Yuvraj Singh's sensational batting display for India throughout the 2007 Men's T20 World Cup. He played a massive role in helping India lift the trophy in the inaugural edition that took place in South Africa.
One of Yuvraj's many key performances came against England in the 21st Group E fixture at Kingsmead, Durban. Batting first, India posted a formidable total of 218/4 on the board. Openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag set the platform with an opening stand of 136.
However, what followed next was what made that game a memorable one that is cherished even today. Coming in to bat at number five, Yuvraj Singh took the attack to the English bowlers, slamming a blistering 16-ball 58 at a jaw-dropping strike-rate of 362.50.
This famous knock also included the iconic six-sixes in an over that Yuvraj hit against pacer Stuart Broad. India also went on to win the game by 18 runs.
#2 Jos Buttler
England skipper Jos Buttler was in top form during their 2022 Men's T20 World Cup title-winning run. Amassing 225 runs from six innings, he ended as the fourth-highest run-getter in the tournament as well.
His best performance came when it probably mattered the most, in the semi-final of the 2022 edition against India. Bowling first, England were able to restrict India to a modest total of 168/6, including fifties from Virat Kohli and Hardik Pandya.
However, it proved to be a completely one-sided affair as English openers Buttler and Alex Hales decimated the Indian bowling, stitching an unbeaten 170-run stand as they romped home with ten wickets to spare.
Skipper Buttler, at his destructive best, slammed an unbeaten 49-ball 80, striking at 163.27, which included nine fours and three sixes as well.
#1 Alex Hales
Alex Hales had a fairly decent showing at the 2022 Men's T20 World Cup, being the eighth-highest run-getter in the tournament with 212 runs from six innings.
In the semi-final against India, he played one of his best T20I innings, teaming up with Jos Buttler to trash their opponents with utmost ease. Hales left the Indian bowlers searching for answers as he powered his way to an unbeaten 47-ball 86.
His knock comprised four boundaries and as many as seven sixes, with an impressive strike-rate of 182.98. Hales played a vital role in the unbeaten 170-run partnership with Buttler, helping England progress to the final.
His sensational innings also won him the Player of the Match award against India.