RETURN FLIGHT

India Lacked England’s Fire, Passion & Intensity. They Were Flat & Listless. This Humiliation Will Rankle For Years

- Partha Bhaduri

Adelaide: It’s not the sort of end to their World Cup campaign that India would have liked. Unfortunately, all the chinks in their armour, especially the bowling, stood brutally exposed on the biggest stage of all on Thursday night against a mighty England side.

The distraught image of Rohit Sharma standing alone after the game, head bowed, lost in thought and plucking at his beard said it all. India unravelled in dramatic fashion in the semifinal, losing by 10 wickets after having put up 168/6 with the bat.

England’s openers, arguably two of the best T20I batters around, chased the runs down with 24 balls remaining. England captain Jos Buttler ended on a 49-ball 80 not out. ‘Man of the match’ Alex Hales bludgeoned a 47-ball, unbeaten 86.

India messed up the Powerplay at both ends, first with the bat, managing just 38/1 in the first six overs and batting like they had been put in on a minefield. By the end of 16 overs India were only 110/3 before Hardik Pandya, who eventually finished on a scintillating 33-ball 63, exploded in the end overs. Virat Kohli scored another half-century but Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul’s edgy starts really hurt India in this tournament, more so in the semifinal.