T20 World Cup 2024 – IND vs AUS Review
India got the better of Australia by 24 runs in a rare high-scoring encounter in the 2024 T20 World Cup, at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia.
Australia opted to bowl first after winning the toss and Josh Hazlewood gave them the early breakthrough by dismissing Virat Kohli for a duck in the second over. However, Rohit Sharma was in a rampaging mood as he took the Aussie bowlers to the cleaners. He amassed 29 runs in a Mitchell Starc over. The Indian captain went from strength even as Rishabh Pant departed cheaply.
Rohit eventually fell for 92 off 41 balls before Suryakumar Yadav played a fine cameo of 31 off 16 balls. Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya also scored important runs as India finished on 205/5.
In the second innings, David Warner was sent back by Arshdeep Singh in the first over but India’s nemesis Travis Head was in scintillating form. Mitchell Marsh, who got a couple of lives, stitched an 81-run stand off 48 balls alongside Head to give Australia hopes of pulling off the highest run-chase in T20 World Cup 2024.
However, Marsh threw his wicket after getting to 37 and the onus was on Glenn Maxwell to support Head and take Australia closer to the target. They added 41 runs off 25 balls before Maxwell was dismissed by Kuldeep Yadav for 20. From this point, the 2021 champions lost wickets at regular intervals and their hopes were severely dented when Head was dismissed for 76 off 43 balls by an excellent Jasprit Bumrah slower ball. In the end, the Aussies were restricted to 181/7 to give the Men in Blue a 24-run win and a spot in the semifinals.
Top Performers of the Match
Best Batter – Rohit Sharma (92 off 41 balls)
The Indian skipper played one of the finest innings in T20 World Cup history as he demolished the famed Australian bowling lineup with disdain. He got to his half-century off just 19 balls and departed for a 41-ball 92, hitting seven fours and eight sixes.
Best Bowler – Kuldeep Yadav (2 for 24)
Kuldeep Yadav bowled an excellent spell through the middle overs and accounted for the wickets of Mitchell Marsh and Glenn Maxwell. Head was firing on all cylinders against the other bowlers but he was kept in check by Kuldeep. The left-arm wrist spinner eventually finished with figures of 2/24 in four overs.
