Captain Rohit Sharma’s explosive innings powered the Indian cricket team to a 24-run win over Australia in the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup 2024 at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in St Lucia on Monday.
The win also helped India top Group 1 of the T20 World Cup Super 8 stage and set up a semi-final date with England on Thursday.
Player of the Match Rohit top-scored in the match with a 41-ball 92 at a stunning strike rate of 224.39. His knock was laced with eight sixes and seven fours and helped India post 205/5 in 20 overs. Suryakumar Yadav also chipped in with a quickfire 31 off 16 balls.
In reply, Australia could manage only 181/7. Travis Head’s 43-ball 76 kept the Aussies in the hunt but the Indian bowlers, led by Arshdeep Singh (3/37) and Kuldeep Yadav (2/24), helped India maintain their unbeaten run in this World Cup.
Batting first, Rohit got the team to a flying start, smashing four sixes and a boundary off Mitchell Starc’s second over. He became the first player to hit 200 sixes in T20Is and brought up his fifty in just 19 balls.
Such was Rohit’s domination that the score read 52/1 when Rohit reached his half-century. Rohit continued unabated as he amassed 17 runs off Marcus Stoinis’ first over. India went past the 100-run mark in the ninth over, the quickest by any team in the history of the T20 World Cup.
Rohit's breathtaking knock ended just eight runs short of a century. Out of 92, Rohit scored 76 of his runs through boundaries.
India lost Rohit Sharma in the 12th over with the score at 127. Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya helped India sail past 200 and register their highest total in a T20 World Cup match against Australia. Mitchell Starc and Marcus Stoinis picked up two wickets each for the Aussies.
In response, Australia got off to a brisk start and scored 65/1 in the powerplay. Axar Patel pulled off a blinder in the deep to send back Australian skipper Mitchell Marsh for 37. However, Head continued his onslaught, reaching 50 in just 24 balls.
India fought back with quick wickets as Australia slid from 128/2 to 166/7. The turnaround proved costly for the Aussies as they fell short of the target to suffer their second consecutive defeat in the Super 8.
IND vs AUS T20 World Cup 2024 brief scores: India 205/5 in 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 92, Suryakumar Yadav 31, Mitchell Starc 2/45, Marcus Stoinis 2/56) beat Australia 181/7 in 20 overs (Travis Head 76, Mitchell Marsh 37, Arshdeep Singh 3/37, Kuldeep Yadav 2/24) by 24 runs.
