India win T20 World Cup: One triumph, many heroes

Team effort was at the heart of India’s successful t20 world cup title defence. TOI highlights the campaign’s high points up until Sunday’s summit clash...SURYA’S RESCUE ACT VS THE USAThe hosts were given a rude awakening in their opening encounter against the USA at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Still, on a pitch where shot-making was difficult, skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 49-ball 84 (10x4, 4x6) proved to be the difference as India prevailed by 29 runs. Brief scores: India 161/9 (S Yadav 84*, T Varma 25; S van Schalkwyk 4-25) beat USA 132/8 (S Krishnamurthi 37; Mohammad Siraj 3-29, Axar Patel 2-24).

KISHAN, PANDYA FLAY NAMIBIAAt the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi, Ishan Kishan set the tone with a blazing 24-ball 61 (6x4, 5x6). After a mid-innings wobble, Hardik Pandya built on the early momentum to hit a sublime 52 (28 balls, 4x4, 4x6) to propel India to 209/9. He then returned to hasten Namibia’s end by claiming two wickets as India won by 93 runs.

Brief scores: India 209/9 (I Kishan 61, Pandya 52; G Erasmus 4/20) beat Namibia 116 (L Steenkamp 29, V Chakravarthy 3/7, Axar 2-20, Hardik 2-21).SENSATIONAL KISHAN FLOORS PAKIshan Kishan rose above the slow, spinfriendly conditions at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo with a careerdefining knock against their arch-rivals. On a pitch where Pakistan bowled 18 overs of spin, Kishan swept, reverseswept and cut them to size as he smashed his way to an unbeaten 40-ball 77 (10x4, 3x6) to steer India to 175/7.

Pakistan surrendered in their chase, getting bowled out for 114.Brief scores: India 175/7 (I Kishan 77, Suryakumar 32; S Ayub 3-25) beat Pakistan 114 (U Khan 44, Pandya 2-16, Bumrah 2-17).DUBE DESTROYS THE DUTCHShivam Dube hit a 31-ball 66 and claimed two wickets to fashion India’s 17-run win over Netherlands at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The southpaw smashed four fours and six sixes in his career-best knock and then accounted for the prize wicket of the Netherlands’ top-scorer, Bas de Leede.

The Dutch batters failed to read Varun Chakravarthy’s (3/14) mystery spin and were never really in the chase. Brief scores: India 193/6 (S Dube 66, Suryakumar 34, van Beek 3-56) beat Netherlands 176/7 (de Leede 33, V Chakravarthy 3-14, S Dube 2-35).INDIA LOSE THE PLOT AGAINST SAJasprit Bumrah (3/15) gave the hosts the upper hand against South Africa with a double strike in the powerplay to reduce them to 20/3. Though Arshdeep Singh (2/28) complemented his new-ball partner’s efforts, the rest of the bowlers were hit by David Miller (63), Dewald Brevis (45) and Tristan Stubbs (44*) as Proteas made 187/7.

India’s batting lineup capitualted and were bundled out for 111 to end India’s 12-match unbeaten run in the T20 World Cup. Brief scores: South Africa 187/7 (D Miller 63, D Brevis 45, J Bumrah 3/15) beat India 111 (S Dube 42; Marco Jansen 4/22).INDIA FLEX BATTING MIGHT VS ZIMIn a must-win game, India rejigged their batting order and showed their might against Zimbabwe in Chennai. All six batters who came to the crease not only crossed double figures but also had a strike rate in excess of 158 as India galloped to 256/4, aided by blistering fifties from Abhishek Sharma (55 off 30 balls, 4x4, 4x6) and Hardik Pandya (50* off 23 balls, 2x4, 4x6).

Zimbabwe could only manage 184/6 as India kept their dream alive.Brief scores: India 256/4 (A Sharma 55, H Pandya 50*; Sikandar Raza 1-29) beat Zimbabwe 184/6 in 20 overs (B Bennett 97*, Sikandar Raza 31; Arshdeep Singh 3-24).SANJU STEERS INDIA INTO THE SEMISSanju Samson repaid the faith shown in him by the team management with a high-quality knock to seal India’s semifinal berth with a five-wicket win over West Indies in a virtual quarterfinal at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

Jasprit Bumrah played his part with the ball with a double strike in the 12th over to restrict a rampaging Windies to 195/4 on a flat Eden track. Unfazed by the stiff target, Sanju played a measured knock and always looked in control of the chase as he produced some classy strokes to take India home with an unbeaten 97 from 50 balls (12x4, 4x6).Brief scores: India 199/5 in 19.2 overs (S Samson 97, T Varma 27; Jason Holder 2-38) beat West Indies 195/4 (Roston Chase 40, Jason Holder 37*; Jasprit Bumrah 2-36).BUMRAH, SANJU SEND ENG HOMEIt required the scintillating strokeplay of Sanju Samson, the ingenuity of Jasprit Bumrah with the ball and the brilliance of Axar Patel in the field to defy Jacob Bethell’s individual batting might in the second semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Sanju bludgeoned a 42-ball 89 (8x4, 7x6) to help India post an imposing 253/7. Axar Patel’s stunning catch, running backwards to dismiss Brook and his remarkable agility at the boundary ropes to relay a catch to Shivam Dube pegged England back in their chase.

However, Bethell (105; 42b, 8x4, 7x6), kept the visitors in the hunt. Bumrah again proved to be the gamechanger, conceding just eight and six in his final two overs at the death. Brief scores: India 253/7 (S Samson 89, S Dube 43; W Jacks 2-40) beat England 246/7 (J Bethell 105, W Jacks 35; H Pandya 2-38, J Bumrah 1-33).