<p>Georgetown (Guyana): Skipper Rohit Sharma's grace was matched by the might of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav as India exorcised the ghosts of 2022 by handing defending champions England a 68-run thrashing to enter the final of the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/icc-t20-world-cup-2024">T20 World Cup</a> here on Thursday.</p><p>Rohit thus became the first Indian captain to lead the country in three ICC global finals in a space of 12 months -- 2023 World Test Championship, 2023 ODI World Cup and now the T20 World Cup.</p>.T20 World Cup 2024: India look to exorcise ghosts of 2022.<p>The Indian skipper, who has always received flak for not scoring on big days, contributed an invaluable 57 off 39 balls on a track where the ball consistently kept low, as India posted 171 for 7 in 20 overs.</p><p>Credit should also be given to Suryakumar Yadav for his 47 off 36 balls and Hardik Pandya for his two mighty sixes in a 13-ball-23. Ravindra Jadeja (17) and Axar Patel (10) also chipped in with useful contributions.</p><p>In reply, England lost five wickets at the halfway stage and never recovered to be all out for 103 in 16.4 overs.</p>.T20 World Cup 2024: Rohit leads in India to 171/7.<p>Axar (3/23 in 4 overs) and Kuldeep Yadav (3/19 in 4 overs) shared the spoils with the ball. The redoubtable Jasprit Bumrah (2/12 in 2.4 overs) did his bit with a classic slow off-cutter that saw the back of the dangerous Phil Salt.</p><p>The 2007 champions will meet South Africa in the final in Barbados on Saturday.</p><p>In 2022, India were pummelled by 10 wickets in the semi-final at Adelaide after England had restricted them to a similar total. But the conditions at Providence Stadium made batting difficult.</p><p>The master tactician Rohit read the pitch's riot act even before the start and knew that facing Kuldeep and Axar on this track was going to be a very difficult ask.</p><p>On a track where the balls kept low, all one needed was to bowl wicket-to-wicket and Axar did exactly that, forcing Jos Buttler to play an indiscreet reverse sweep while Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali were fooled by the pace of the deliveries.</p><p>At the other end, Kuldeep also varied his pace with a deceptive loop and deliveries that turned sharply into the batters, making their life difficult. The fielding was also brilliant.</p><p><strong>Brief Scores:</strong> India 171 for 7 in 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 57, Suryakumar Yadav 47, Hardik Pandya 23, Chris Jordan 3/37, Adil Rashid 1/25, Jofra Archer 1/33, Reece Topley 1/25, Sam Curran 1/25)</p><p>England 103 in 16.4 overs (Axar Patel 3/23, Kuldeep Yadav 3/19, Jasprit Bumrah 2/12).</p>
<p>Georgetown (Guyana): Skipper Rohit Sharma's grace was matched by the might of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav as India exorcised the ghosts of 2022 by handing defending champions England a 68-run thrashing to enter the final of the <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/icc-t20-world-cup-2024">T20 World Cup</a> here on Thursday.</p><p>Rohit thus became the first Indian captain to lead the country in three ICC global finals in a space of 12 months -- 2023 World Test Championship, 2023 ODI World Cup and now the T20 World Cup.</p>.T20 World Cup 2024: India look to exorcise ghosts of 2022.<p>The Indian skipper, who has always received flak for not scoring on big days, contributed an invaluable 57 off 39 balls on a track where the ball consistently kept low, as India posted 171 for 7 in 20 overs.</p><p>Credit should also be given to Suryakumar Yadav for his 47 off 36 balls and Hardik Pandya for his two mighty sixes in a 13-ball-23. Ravindra Jadeja (17) and Axar Patel (10) also chipped in with useful contributions.</p><p>In reply, England lost five wickets at the halfway stage and never recovered to be all out for 103 in 16.4 overs.</p>.T20 World Cup 2024: Rohit leads in India to 171/7.<p>Axar (3/23 in 4 overs) and Kuldeep Yadav (3/19 in 4 overs) shared the spoils with the ball. The redoubtable Jasprit Bumrah (2/12 in 2.4 overs) did his bit with a classic slow off-cutter that saw the back of the dangerous Phil Salt.</p><p>The 2007 champions will meet South Africa in the final in Barbados on Saturday.</p><p>In 2022, India were pummelled by 10 wickets in the semi-final at Adelaide after England had restricted them to a similar total. But the conditions at Providence Stadium made batting difficult.</p><p>The master tactician Rohit read the pitch's riot act even before the start and knew that facing Kuldeep and Axar on this track was going to be a very difficult ask.</p><p>On a track where the balls kept low, all one needed was to bowl wicket-to-wicket and Axar did exactly that, forcing Jos Buttler to play an indiscreet reverse sweep while Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali were fooled by the pace of the deliveries.</p><p>At the other end, Kuldeep also varied his pace with a deceptive loop and deliveries that turned sharply into the batters, making their life difficult. The fielding was also brilliant.</p><p><strong>Brief Scores:</strong> India 171 for 7 in 20 overs (Rohit Sharma 57, Suryakumar Yadav 47, Hardik Pandya 23, Chris Jordan 3/37, Adil Rashid 1/25, Jofra Archer 1/33, Reece Topley 1/25, Sam Curran 1/25)</p><p>England 103 in 16.4 overs (Axar Patel 3/23, Kuldeep Yadav 3/19, Jasprit Bumrah 2/12).</p>