Unbeaten half-centuries by England skipper Jos Buttler and fellow opener Alex Hales guided England to a thumping win over India in the second semi-finals in Adelaide on Thursday. Their efforts followed a brilliant spell by leg-spinner Adil Rashid and was well supported by Chris Jordan to restrict India to under-par 168/6 in 20 overs. Virat Kohli scored another half-century in this World Cup while Hardik Pandya hit a whirlwind 63. How it happened.
Match summary: Buttler, Hales blow India away
England stormed into the T20 World Cup final with a comprehensive 10-wicket win over India in Adelaide. Chasing India’s 168, skipper Jos Buttler (80 off 49 balls) and Alex Hales (86 off 47) raced to the target with an array of bold strokes. Earlier, India sluggish start gave way to fiery finish with Hardik Pandya scoring a 33-ball 63. Virat Kohli scored 50. England will meet Pakistan on Sunday in Melbourne.
England win by 10 wickets
Buttler blasts another six and England are 170/0 in 16 overs.
A rare good over
Axar Patel gave away only two runs at a time when Hales and Buttler are on the rampage. But that doesn’t impact the game as England are 156/0 in 15 overs.
Buttler continues to blaze away
Two fours and a six for Buttler meant 14 runs from the Shami over. To rub salt into the Indian wounds, Suryakumar Yadav spilled a difficult catch after a sprint, the ball running away to the fence. England are 154/0 in 14 overs.
Buttler races to 50
Buttler starts with a scooped six off Pandya and follows with a four that was creamed to midwicket to reach his half-century. 17 from the over, and England are 140/0 in 13 overs
Hales is in a hurry
Alex Hales sweeps Ashwin for a six, and crashes a four through the offside. The ease with which he is playing is amazing. England are 123/0 in 12 overs
10 Overs: England are racing away
Alex Hales played a amazing shot off the backfoot through the covers. Apart from that boundary, Arshdeep has kept it quiet. But England are racing to the target. 98/0 in 10 overs
Pandya pulls it back
Hardik Pandya into the attack. Although he conceded an all-run four to Buttler to some bizarre relay fielding, he gave away only 7 runs. England are 91/0 in 9 overs.
Half-century for Hales
Alex Hales crashes his fifth six of the match and goes on to complete his fifty from 28 balls. No alarms for England yet, as they are 84/0 in 8 overs
Ashwin peg back the scoring
Ravichandran Ashwin kept the scoring down, but Hales swept his fourth six of the game. England are 75/0 in 7 overs
6 overs: England boss the powerplay
The quiet Adelaide stadium is a reflection of the progress of the semifinal as England openers continue to be on the rampage. Hales sweeps Axar Patel for a six, before Buttler blasts a boundary to midwicket. Engand are 63/0 in the powerplay.
Hales raises the tempo
Mohammad Shami comes into the attack, and Alex Hales crashes a six and a four. No let-up in scoring from the England openers. They are providing a lesson on intent while chasing. 52/0 in 5 overs
Spin is in early
The early introduction of spin hasn’t stopped England’s charge. Buttler slams a boundary and the openers milk the rest of the over. England have a stranglehold on the game, they are 41/0 in 4 overs
England continue to be positive
12 runs from the Bhuveshwar over. Alex Hales lashed one over extra cover, and England are racing away. England are 33/0 in 3 overs.
Arshdeep slows it down
After conceding a boundary off the first delivery, Arshdeep Singh has pulled it back, kept it quiet. England are 21/0 in 2 over.
Great start for England
Skipper Jos Buttler leads the England chase with three boundaries, peppering the cover fence twice and a flick to midwicket against Bhuvneshwar Kumar. England are 13/0 in 1 over.
Midway summary: Fifties from Pandya and Kohli lift India
India, who started sluggishly after being asked to bat by England, lifted themselves in the slog overs to finish at 168/6 in 20 overs in the semifinal in Adelaide. Hardik Pandya (63 off 33 balls) and Virat Kohli (50 off 40) strung together a fourth wicket stand of 61 after India were 75/3 in 11 overs. Spinners Adil Rashid and Liam Livingstone choked the Indian batters, who accelerated in the slog overs. England chase a below-par score and must be favourites to win, unless India pick up wickets in the powerplay
20 overs: Pandya boosts Indian total to 168/6
Pant is run out in a bid to give Pandya the strike. That’s a sacrifice. But Hardik makes up for it with a six and four before he is hit wicket. 12 runs from the Jordan over. India finish at 168/6 in 20 overs.
Pandya’s 50 lifts India
Rishabh Pant wallops a four to the cover fence. Pandya steers a boundary past point, before pulling one into stands at midwicket. Another boundary takes Pandya to fifty. 20 runs from the Sam Curran over. India are 156/4 in 19 overs
50 and out for Kohli
Virat Kohli has held the Indian innings together with a 40-ball 50. He’s out slicing Jordan to Adil Rashid at short third-man. Super innings. India are 136/4 in 18 overs
Pandya shakes off the shackles
A slashed six from Pandya over cover was all Indian got, as Sam Curran keep it tight. 11 from the over. India are 121/3 in 17 overs.
A scare and a four
Chris Jordan nails a yorker and Kohli falls over. But he’s not out after the review, upholding the umpire’s decision. A crisp cover driven four from Kohli follows. Still slow going for India. 10 from the over and India are 110/3 in 16 overs.
15 overs: India’s run rate a concern
Kohli and Hardik Pandya are motoring along, looking for a big over to step up the scoring. This is the time to go hard. India are 100/3 in 15 overs, as Pandya and Kolhi pick a four each off Livingstone.
Spin bites in Adelaide
An excellent over from Liam Livingstone, who gave away only three runs. Earlier, Adil Rashid finished his spell with fine figures of 1/21. So Indian spinners will love that. India are 80/3 in 13 overs
OUT: Rashid traps SKY
Suryakumar Yadav is out after taking 11 off a Ben Stokes over. He sliced an Adil Rashid leg-break to extra-cover and Phil Salt takes the catch. India are 77/3 in 12 overs. Big blow for India.
10 overs: India set up a platform
At the halfway mark, India are 62/2. England won’t complain as they have largely kept the Indian batsmen quiet. The next 10 overs are crucial for India. A total less than 180 will be inadequate against the strong England batting, particularly since bowlers haven’t gained any purchase.
OUT: Rohit Sharma departs for 27
Rohit Sharma drove high and Sam Curran runs in from wide long-on to take a steepling catch. That brings Suryakumar Yadav to the crease. India are 56/2 in 8.5 overs
India are in cruise mode
India are being aggressive without taking too many chances. 51/1 in eight overs has not set the Adelaide stadium on fire, but enough to keep the crowd interested. Much as India are keen to preserve wickets, they should also step up the scoring soon. 51/1 in 8 overs
Double spin attack
Liam Livingstone into the attack. Kolhi cracks a boundary straight down the field, over the bowler. 8 off the over. 46/1 in 7 overs
6 overs: Rashid into the attack
Spin is in early, in the form of Adil Rashid and Rohit Sharma greets him with a boundary to square leg. 10 from the over, which ended in a near half chance for a caught and bowled. India 38/1 at the end of the powerplay.
Rohit Sharma turns it on
The Indian skipper flicks Sam Curran to the midwicket fence. Rohit follows that by coming down the track and hammering Curran to midwicket. Back to back boundaries. Harry Brook spills a stiff chance at point. 10 off the over.
Kohli takes charge
Lashes Chris Woakes over cover for a six. Super shot. 10 runs off the over
A nervy over for India
Sam Curran beats Virat Kohli’s edge, followed by one that took the edge only to fall short of Moeen Ali at first slip. Just a single from the over.
OUT: Rahul goes
India have lost KL Rahul, who nibbles at rising Chris Woakes delivery and Buttler takes it. India are 9/1 in 1.4 overs.
India off to a quiet start
KL Rahul cut a boundary off the first ball from Stokes. And it’s been quiet after that. A hint of movement for Stokes, whenever he’s pitched up. 6/0 in 1 over.
Umpire calls play
Indian skipper Rohit Sharma and KL Sharma are out in the middle. Ben Stokes to open the bowling for England. Here we go.
England win the toss and opt to bowl
England lost Dawid Malan and Mark Wood to injuries and were replaced by Phil Salt and Chris Jordan. India are unchanged, which means Rishabh Pant plays in place of Dinesh Karthik.
Teams:
England: Jos Buttler (captain and wicketkeeper), Alex Hales, Phil Salt, Ben Stokes, Harry Brook, Moen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Chris Jordan and Adil Rashid.
India: Rohit Sharma (captain), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami amd Arshdeep Singh.
Preview: A battle of equals in Adelaide
The Adelaide semifinal is too close to call as two of the most potent T20 teams clash. England have injury worries: Dawid Malan could be replaced by Phil Salt in the creaky middle order, but Mark Woods doesn’t have a genuine replacement. That is a real blow, but they have enough quality in bowling.
India’s captain Rohit Sharma survived an injury scare, but it was just a scare. The only team to win four games in Super 12, India’s bowling and batting have clicked into place. If they can tighten the fielding, they could upend England
