After India’s stellar performance in the group stage of the 2022 T20 World Cup, where the squad won four out of five matches, there was high hopes that the Rohit Sharma-led squad could achieve ultimate glory. However, the campaign ended with a crushing 10-wicket defeat to England in the semi-final on Thursday. Alex Hales and Jos Buttler hammered brilliantly unbeaten half-centuries as England passed India’s target of 169 runs. They now face Pakistan in the final. Hales chased 169 for the win in the second semi-final in Adelaide, hitting seven sixes in his 86 and Buttler, who made 80, hit three in a mesmerizing batting performance to go into Sunday’s final in Melbourne with four overs left. to save.
After a slow start through India, hitting first, Hardik Pandya’s 33-ball 63 led India to 168-6, but the total proved insufficient for an inspired opening pair as England, after their 2010 win at their second T20- crown hunted. After the loss, Pandya wrote an emotional note on Twitter.
“Devastated, gutted, hurt. Hard to bear, for all of us. To my teammates, I’ve loved the bond we built – we fought for each other every step of the way. Thank you to our support staff for their endless dedication and hard work working, for months,” Hardik Pandya tweeted.
Devastated, devastated, hurt. Hard to bear, for all of us. For my teammates, I enjoyed the bond we built – we fought for each other every step of the way. Thank you to our support staff for their endless dedication and hard work over the months. pic.twitter.com/HlVUC8BNq7
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) Nov 10, 2022
Speaking of England’s chase, Skipper Buttler crushed Bhuvneshwar Kumar for three boundaries in the opening of their chase and his side never looked back. He continued to bat and Hales soon joined the big batting as England raced to 63-0 in six overs.
Hales hit his 50 off 28 balls and was tough against Axar Patel, who leaked 28 runs in his three overs as the match was snatched away from India in a flurry of sixes and fours. Hales increased the team’s 100 by another six from Pandya and Buttler soon changed gears to catch up with his partner.
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The skipper reached his fifties with a six and a four on Pandya to dispel hopes that India would end the world title drought since their 2013 Champions Trophy triumph. He rightly hit the winning runs with a six on Mohammed Shami to make a repeat of the 1992 50-over World Cup final between Pakistan and England, which Pakistan won.
With AFP inputs
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