Cricket
Follow highlights of IND vs AUS T20 World Cup 2024 Super 8 match here.
Updated : Jun 25, 2024, 12:07 AM IST
Rohit Sharma's India is set to face off against Mitchell Marsh's Australia in the Super 8 round of the T20 World Cup 2024 on Monday at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia. India is on the cusp of securing a spot in the semifinals, needing only a point to advance while avoiding a heavy defeat. On the other hand, Australia must secure a victory today to progress in the tournament.
Australia, much like India, appeared to be a formidable team until their unexpected loss to Afghanistan exposed weaknesses within the squad. Despite this setback, the team possesses the talent and potential to defeat any opponent on any given day. The performance of star all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has been a topic of discussion, and today presents an opportunity for him to showcase his skills.
India, on the other hand, has been dominant in the tournament, reminiscent of their performance in the 2023 World Cup. However, aside from Afghanistan, they have yet to face a top-tier team in good form. A match against Australia will serve as valuable preparation for the challenges that may lie ahead in the semifinals. With the team riding a wave of success, it is likely that Rohit Sharma will opt to maintain the current lineup without making any changes.
Cummins attempted to pull towards deep midwicket, but Jadeja's diving effort was unsuccessful in grabbing the ball, resulting in just a single run. Starc was left beaten by an off-cutter, followed by another dot ball from a cutter. The pattern repeated for three balls, all yielding the same result. A single run was scored on the last ball. In the end, India emerged victorious in a comfortable fashion.
IND 205/5 (20)
AUS 181/7 (20)
Wade has been caught at short third! The umpires are reviewing the catch as Kuldeep had to dive to make the grab. Replays confirm that it was a clean catch, and Wade is dismissed. Additionally, David has hit a thick edge straight to short third and is also out.
Ravindra Jadeja has entered the attack, only to be cut for four by Maxwell! He then follows it up with a powerful SIX, executing a reverse hit over the short third. Unfortunately, it has been a poor start for Jadeja. Just two balls later, Maxwell manages to reverse once again, this time securing a boundary.
FOUR! Bumrah continues and Head slashes this uppishly over point for a boundary. FOUR! Pulled away by Head to the square-leg boundary for consecutive fours. FOUR! Three boudaries in four balls for Head. Full toss and driven past point to the boundary by the left-hander.
FOUR! Marsh reads the length early and smacks the ball to the wide long-on boundary. DROPPED! Arshdeep drops the catch and Marsh survives on 5. Another FOUR! Marsh drives the ball through cover-point for another boundary. And now a SIX! Arshdeep bowls short again and Marsh effortlessly pulls the ball over deep square-leg for a maximum.
Jadeja just hit a massive six by flicking the ball hard over deep mid-wicket. India finishes with a total of 205/5 in 20 overs, which is their third-highest score in T20 World Cup history and their highest against Australia in T20 World Cup matches.
Rohit Sharma departs after playing a remarkable innings! A yorker length delivery from around the wicket catches Rohit off guard, resulting in the ball hitting the cue end of his bat. The stumps are shattered, and unfortunately, the Indian skipper falls short of a century by just 8 runs.
FOUR! Rohit is on fire today, he can't seem to miss a shot. He swings his bat, slicing through point and reaches 45 runs. Another FOUR! The ball is short and aimed at his body, but Rohit manages to play it down the ground, although it edges behind the keeper. He quickly takes a single and completes a 50 in just 19 balls!
Six! Rohit Sharma hits a slower ball out of the park with a powerful shot over deep mid-wicket for a massive 100-meter six!
Unfortunately, the covers are being brought out as it has started raining in St. Lucia. The players are quickly making their way back to the pavilion.
Starc bowls to Rohit, and it's a SIX! Rohit makes a bold statement with his beautifully executed lofted drive over cover for a maximum. Starc delivers again, and it's another SIX! This time, Rohit doesn't hesitate to send the ball over extra cover for the same result. And yet again, Starc to Rohit, and it's a FOUR! That's three boundaries in a row for Rohit, as he effortlessly plays the short ball over mid-on for another boundary. Starc bowls once more to Rohit, and it's another SIX! Rohit is on fire and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon!
Rohit swung his bat forcefully, causing the ball to hit the edge. The umpire referred the decision to the third umpire, who confirmed it was a bump ball. Starc bowled the next delivery to Rohit, who expertly guided it to the boundary for four runs.
Australia (Playing XI): Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh(c), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade(w), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah
Mitchell Marsh: We are going to bowl first. Looks a belter, it looks lovely. It's a quarte final, looking forward to it, big challenge against India. We have had ourselves in this situation before, every game is a must-win now. We got an experienced group, a great staff. Starc comes in for Agar.
Rohit Sharma: We would have fielded first as well, looks a bit sticky. We wanted to chase. We know what exactly we are doing, will try to do our best. I hope it doesn't change much. The overhead conditions also matter in this part of the world. We have adapted well, hopefully another game where we put up a show. Every game matters in this tournament, nothing changes. We are playing the same team.
A washout would be advantageous for India, securing their spot in the semi-finals. However, the same cannot be said for Australia.
If India secures a third consecutive victory, they will not only top the group and advance to the semi-finals but also pose a significant threat to Australia's chances of progressing following their surprising loss to Afghanistan.
Accuweather forecasts heavy rainfall in St Lucia throughout the day, with showers expected before the India vs Australia match commences at 10:30 AM local time.
India: Rohit Sharma(c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Sanju Samson, Mohammed Siraj, Yashasvi Jaiswal
Australia: Travis Head, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh(c), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade(w), Pat Cummins, Ashton Agar, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Josh Inglis, Cameron Green, Nathan Ellis