Every now and then in T20 cricket, we’re left wondering whether the contest is over at the end of the first powerplay, with one team being outplayed by the other. It isn’t often, though, that we get that feeling twice in one match. That was the fate India suffered against England in their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 semifinal on Thursday.
Make no mistake, the conditions at the Adelaide Oval were good for batting. The pitch was pretty flat, the bounce true, and the square boundaries short. But for the most part, the contrast in the two teams’ batting couldn’t have been more jarring.
T20 World Cup, Semi-final 2 as it happened: Hales, Buttler star, England thump India by 10 wickets
After England won the toss and opted to bowl first, India captain Rohit Sharma said he wanted to bat first anyway. Sure, with the pitch looking firm and dew not really being a threat, it seemed reasonable to want to put runs on the board in a crunch game.
Wanting to bat first in a big game is a statement in itself. It says you’re confident of your batters and intend to take the game by the scruff of its neck. Sadly for India, though, Rohit’s words at…
