Page 50 - The Indian EYE 062824

SPORTS JUNE 28, 2024 | The Indian Eye 50

T20 WORLD CUP

And then there were four: Afghanistan,

India, England and South Africa

Afghanistan’s win over Bangladesh not only cemented their place in the tournament but also

knocked a powerhouse team, Australia, out of contention. It’s a moment of immense pride for

Afghanistan cricket and a testament to their hard work and talent

strong Pakistan batting lineup. This
win against their arch-rivals showed
India’s fighting spirit and their ability
to win even when the odds are stacked
against them.
Now, heading into the semi-fi-
nal clash against England, India is
brimming with confidence. Captain
Rohit Sharma’s focus on staying
sharp, playing freely, and adapting
to the conditions will be key to their
ARCHAN MEHTA success. With their strategic thinking
and well-rounded team, India is a
San Jose, CA
force to be reckoned with in the T20
fghanistan’s journey to the T20 World Cup!
World Cup semi-finals has been South Africa’s path to the semis
Anothing short of incredible. has been much steady and was the only
Their win against Bangladesh was a other team besides India to remain
nail-biter, with emotions running high unbeaten in the T20 world cup. They
throughout the rain-affected match. won some close matches in the group
Coach Jonathan Trott’s passionate stages and had easier victories against
display reflected the team’s determi- others. Their bowling attack, especial-
nation, and Naveen-ul-Haq’s crucial ly the spinners, had been crucial. They
wicket secured a historic first-ever edged past the West Indies and then
semi-final berth for Afghanistan. pulled off a thrilling win against En-
This achievement comes on the gland in the final over. Another close
heels of their upset victory over Aus- win over the USA kept their unbeaten
tralia in the Super Eights stage. Build- streak alive.
ing a strong total thanks to their open- England’s journey to the T20
ers, the Afghan bowlers, particularly World Cup semi-finals was full of ups
Naveen and Rashid Khan, then shut Afghanistan’s captain Rashid Khan celebrates the dismissal of India’s Rishabh Pant during and downs. After a shaky start with a
down the favorites. This win not only rained-out match and a big loss to Aus-
cemented their place in the tourna- their Super 8 Group 1 match at Kensington Oval in Barbados last Thursday (ANI) tralia, they bounced back with big wins
ment but also knocked a powerhouse against Oman and Namibia. A close
team, Australia, out of contention. It’s tone, and the bowlers like Jasprit Bum- show in their opening Super Eights defeat for Scotland helped them reach
a moment of immense pride for Af- rah did a great job of shutting down match against Afghanistan. Suryaku- the Super 8s, where they had a mixed
ghanistan cricket and a testament to the Australian chase.This win showed mar Yadav anchored the batting with bag of results. They dominated the
their hard work and talent. that India can adapt to any situation a brilliant knock on a difficult pitch. West Indies but fell short against South
Team India on the other side has and execute their plans perfectly. Then, Jasprit Bumrah’s exception- Africa. Finally, a convincing win over
been on a roll in the T20 World Cup! They continued their dominance al bowling dismantled Afghanistan’s the USA sealed their semi-final spot.
Their journey through the group with a convincing win over Bangla- batting lineup. This win highlight- The first Semi-Final of the T20
stages and the Super Eights has been desh. Here, the batting depth came to ed India’s ability to handle different World Cup between Afghanistan and
impressive, showcasing their batting the fore with several players contribut- bowling attacks and their strength in South Africa will take place in Tarou-
depth, a strong bowling attack, and ing runs. The bowlers, led by Kuldeep all areas of the game. ba on Wednesday, June 26. The sec-
smart tactics under Captain Rohit Yadav and Jasprit Bumrah, once again Earlier, in the group stage, India ond Semi-Final between England and
Sharma. restricted the opposition effectively. had a thrilling encounter against Pa- India will be held in Guyana on Thurs-
In the Super Eights, India secured This win solidified India’s position as kistan. Even though they only scored day, June 27, 2024. The winners of the
a big win against Australia thanks to a serious contender for the champion- a modest total, their bowlers, led by semis, advance to the finals which will
a captain’s knock from Rohit Sharma ship. Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pan- be played in Bridgetown on Saturday,
himself. His explosive batting set the India’s all-around display was on dya, defended it brilliantly against a Jun 29, 2024.

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