MUMBAI, INDIA: Jacob Bethell’s 48-ball 105 went in vain as India beat England by 7 runs in the second semifinal of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday, March 5. India put up a gigantic total of 253-7 after batting first in this game.
They were helped largely by opener-wicketkeeper Sanju Samson getting them off to a great start. The right-hander tore into the English bowlers from the first over itself and scored a 42-ball 89.
Although his fellow opener Abhishek Sharma got out for 9, Samson was assisted at the crease by Ishan Kishan (39 off 18), who walked out at number three. Shivam Dube helped his side tide over the middle overs with a 25-ball 43 while Hardik Pandya (27) and Tilak Varma (21) helped the home team end their innings in style.
In response, England started struggling right at the beginning, with Phil Salt (5) holing out to Axar Patel off Hardik Pandya in the second over. Captain Harry Brook too went back to the hut for 7 (thanks to another Patel catch) while Jos Buttler hung around awhile to score 25 off 17 deliveries.
Jacob Bethell systematically dismantled the Indian bowlers
That is when the Bethell show began, as he systematically dismantled every plan the Indians had. He showed particular liking towards Varun Chakaravarthy, who had a poor outing with the ball, ending with figures of 1-64 in four overs. The latter’s back-of-a-length deliveries seemed to be picked far too easily by Bethell, who wasted no time in rocking back and hitting them flat-batted back past the bowler.
After Tom Banton (17) went back, Bethell was helped by Will Jacks, who scored a 20-ball 35 and helped England stay on track with the run chase. However, the latter was dismissed by a spectacular bit of fielding in the deep cover region, when Patel ran to his left, dived full length to catch the ball, only to lob it towards the waiting Dube before hurtling into the fence.
Arshdeep Singh bagged the wicket, thanks largely to his sticking to the plan of bowling wide yorkers even though he had conceded three wides previously. Sam Curran’s 14-ball 18 did not hurt India, and Pandya bowled a fine penultimate over to push England to need 30 off the last. Dube, quite ominously, was then handed the ball by captain Suryakumar Yadav.
Bethell was run out off the first ball trying to get back to the batting end after calling for two, and after that, the game was well and truly in India’s pocket. The southpaw departed after having struck 8 boundaries and 7 sixes.
Jofra Archer kept the fans at the Wankhede on their seats by hitting the last three balls of England’s World Cup campaign for sixes, but they were of no use at all, as India romped home by 7 runs. England finished at 246-7 in this run fest on a batting paradise. The Men in Blue will meet New Zealand in the final in Ahmedabad on Sunday, March 8.
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