2.4 overs (0 Run)
OUT! TIMBER! Reece Topley draws first blood for England! The lean run at this World Cup continues for Virat Kohli.
2.3 overs (2 Runs)
Uppish but safe! Goes full now does Topley, at the stumps, Virat Kohli closes the bat face early to work it through mid-wicket and gets a leading edge that goes back over the bowler’s head and lands well wide of mid off. Two runs taken.
2.2 overs (6 Runs)
SIX! BANG! Hit with real authority! In the slot, swinging into the pads, Virat Kohli gets his front leg out of the way nice and early and brings his bottom hand into play. Nails the hit over deep mid-wicket for a biggie.
2.1 overs (0 Run)
Beaten! Shaping in, on a back of a length, on off, Virat Kohli looks to glide it down to deep third but gets beaten on the inside edge.
1.6 overs (4 Runs)
FOUR! Was that a chance? Did that burst through the hands of Phil Salt? This is on a back of a length, around off, Rohit Sharma arches back and cuts it fiercely but aerially towards backward point. Phil Salt is standing in close at backward point and before he can react and get his hands up, the ball flies past him for a boundary.
1.5 overs (0 Run)
And again! Pace taken off the ball by Archer and goes into the wicket, outside off, Rohit Sharma frees his arms to play the cut shot but the ball stays low again and goes under the angled bat of the Indian skipper.
1.4 overs (0 Run)
Archer bangs it on a hard length again, around off, Rohit Sharma swivels in the crease for the pull shot but the ball does not rise as Rohit intended. It skids off the deck and sneaks under the bat.
1.3 overs (0 Run)
Hits the deck hard again and it is on off, Rohit Sharma gets on top of the bounce nicely and pushes it to cover.
1.2 overs (1 Run)
Lands it on a hard length, on off and middle, Virat Kohli hops back and defends it off the inner half of the bat, near his feet and gets called through for a quick single by Rohit.
1.1 overs (0 Run)
Oh, first ball from Archer and it stays low! Early sign of the variable bounce. Archer delivers it on a back of a length, around off, Virat Kohli backs away and goes down the track to go up and over on the off side but the ball skids through and goes under the bat, before going over the stumps.
Jofra Archer to steam in from the other end.
0.6 over (1 Run)
Leg bye! Pulls the length back now does Topley, too straight and on the pads, Virat Kohli misses the tickle and gets it off the pads on the leg side for a leg bye.
0.5 over (0 Run)
Oh, that was not far away from the leg pole! Pitched up by Topley, shaping in, on the pads, Virat Kohli skips down the track and shapes up to whip it away off his pads. Gets beaten on the inside edge as the ball goes just past the leg stump.
0.4 over (0 Run)
Angles it away, on a short of a length, on off, Virat Kohli drives it on the up but picks out the man at cover, who is in really tight.
0.3 over (1 Run)
Fuller in length, on off, Rohit Sharma uses his feet to get down the track and taps it in front of mid off for a quick single.
0.2 over (4 Runs)
FOUR! Streaky but Rohit Sharma and India are away! Attacks the stumps does Topley and gets the ball to swing back in, on length, on middle, Rohit Sharma closes the bat face early as he looks to go leg side. Gets a leading edge that flies to the right of short third for a boundary.
0.1 over (0 Run)
Play and a miss straight away! Steams in from over the wicket and lands it with a scrambled seam, on a length, going across the batter, Rohit Sharma is tentative as he tries to defend the ball, thinking it is going to come back into him. It angles away and beats the outside edge.
Done and dusted with the pre-match proceedings and there is a huge roar from the Indian-dominated crowd! The players of England can be seen near the dugout, raring to get out there in the middle. There seems to be a slight wait as the Indian opening duo of Virat Kohli and skipper Rohit Sharma are seen having a chat near the boundary ropes and finally, they stride out to the middle behind the umpires. Reece Topley has the new ball in hand and is up to the top of his mark as he gets ready to kick things off with the ball. Just the one slip in place, let’s play…
We are just moments away from the start of the 2nd semifinal! Before play can get underway, the match officials walk out and the two sets of players then line up for their respective national anthems. It will be the national anthem of England first, followed by the Indian national anthem.
The skipper of India, Rohit Sharma says that they were anyway looking to bat first. Expects the weather to stay clear now and feels that runs on the board in a big game are crucial. States that the pitch looks a bit dry and hopes that it gets slower as the game progresses. Mentions that they have managed the travel and logistics pretty well. Adds that they are here to get the job done. States that not focusing too far ahead and staying in the present has worked for them so far. Ends by informing that they are going with the same team as the last game.
The captain of England, Jos Buttler says that the surface looks like a decent one and there might be lower bounce and the rain early on definitely suits bowling first. Adds that they are coming up against a quality opposition and need to be at their best. Further adds that they are peaking at the right time and are going in with the same side. Mentions that the mood in the camp is a good one and they have played these guys before.
England (Unchanged Playing XI) – Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (C/(WK), Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley.
India (Unchanged Playing XI) – Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pan t(WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah.
TOSS – The coin toss lands in the favour of Jos Buttler. England have opted to BOWL first.
UPDATE – 8.40 pm IST (3.10 pm GMT) – Live pictures show the match officials already out there, inspecting the pitch and are satisfied with the conditions with the sun shining in its full glory. The update we all wanted is here – TOSS to take place at 8.50 pm IST (3.20 pm GMT) with the first ball to be bowled at 9.15 pm IST (3.45 pm GMT). Looking at the blue skies overhead, we might have just seen the last of the rain for the day.
While we wait for the inspection to take place, folks, how’s this for a stat? Rohit Sharma and Jos Buttler have scored the same amount of runs and have the same strike rate. In the 6 innings at this World Cup, both skippers have amassed 191 runs at an identical SR of 159.16. Unless there are any surprises, Rohit and Jos will walk out to open the innings for their respective teams. Which skipper will fire and set the tone for their side on this big day?
UPDATE – 8.16 pm IST (2.46 pm GMT) – We are hearing that the umpires were out in the middle and whilst there’s no rain, the inspection will now take place at 8.45 pm IST (3.15 pm GMT). So, we have about half an hour still to go before we get any concrete news regarding the toss and the start of play. Let’s just hope, the skies stay clear now and this highly-anticipated clash can get going. Stay tuned for further updates.
UPDATE – 8.03 pm IST (2.33 pm GMT) – Positive news! The rain has stopped, and the sun has made its appearance at the Guyana National Stadium. More promising signs as the ground staff start the process of peeling the covers off. The match officials have scheduled an inspection for 8.30 pm IST (3 pm GMT). Live visuals show the Indian skipper, Rohit Sharma, out in the middle inspecting the strip.
Jasprit Bumrah is in for a chat. He says that the expectations are high, but as a unit, they have played a lot of ICC tournaments. Adds that more than focusing on the outside noise, they are trying to be in the present. Feels that you can only control the controllable, and it is important to put the best foot forward. Tells that assessing the wicket is crucial and there are a lot of variables you have to take into account. Further says that if they do their job well, the result will take care of itself. Lauds Arshdeep Singh for the way he has bowled this World Cup. Mentions that Arshdeep has done well in setting the tone for the team upfront and he always wants to improve, which is a good sign.
UPDATE – 7.51 pm IST (2.21 pm GMT) – Uh, oh! There’s that drizzle again! Everyone knew beforehand that it was going to be that type of a day in Guyana and the covers are starting to come on once more. Thankfully, we do have plenty of time on our hands but it must be frustrating for everyone involved. Stick around for further updates.
PITCH REPORT – A while back Harsha Bhogle and Michael Atherton were pitchside. Bhogle started by saying that it is a muggy morning which is expected and the wind isn’t as strong. The square boundaries are 69 meters and 70 meters on either side and the straight boundary is 79 meters. Adds that there is some rain around. Atherton chimes in and says that the covers have done their job and the pitch is dry. He expects the pitch to be low and skiddy, adding that the stats here for a day game say that the average score is about 167, further saying that it all depends on what the captains want to do after winning the toss.
UPDATE – 7.37 pm IST (2.07 pm GMT) – The live visuals from the National Stadium in Guyana show that the weather looks a lot clearer and even though the covers are on, the drainage system is at work and for now, we can only wait. However, let’s switch from this game for a moment and talk about the game that took place about half a day earlier. In the first semifinal, Afghanistan and South Africa played each other in Tarouba. The Proteas absolutely dismantled an Afghan side that was high on emotions but a bit low on energy and the men from the ‘Rainbow Nation’ stormed into their first-ever Men’s World Cup final, whether it be an ODI or a T20 one. Anyway, back to the game at hand and a few minutes later, the covers have started to come off which is excellent news.
UPDATE – 7.25 pm IST (1.55 pm GMT) – Unfortunately, we do not bring a positive update. The TOSS has been officially delayed. Although the rain has subsided, the ground staff seem to be expecting another bout of rain, which is why the covers are still on in anticipation of a shower. Stick around for more news.
UPDATE – 7.16 pm IST (1.46 pm GMT) – Good news! The rain has stopped, but the covers stay on for now. Folks, while we wait for the covers to be taken off, let’s get you up to speed with the playing conditions for this encounter – There is no provision for a reserve day, so 250 minutes of extra time have been allotted. This means a 20-over contest can start as late as 12.10 am IST (6.40 pm GMT, the previous day). Additionally, for the semifinals and the grand final, both teams must play a minimum of 10 overs for the game to constitute a result.
UPDATE – 7.05 pm IST (1.35 pm GMT) – Uh, oh! What started as a drizzle has turned into a heavy downpour. The Indian players, who were going through their warm-up drills, have retreated into the dressing room. If the rain doesn’t stop soon, the toss might well be delayed.
At a venue where spin has been tough to get away in this World Cup, will the surface play true to its nature? If it does, it will all come down to which side plays spin better on the day. In that case, the Powerplay becomes even more crucial, where going hard could win you half the battle. With all the buzz surrounding this game, the possibility of rain looms large and how will it affect this crucial clash? Lots of questions, the answers to which we will find out over the next few hours. Hop on, this should be fun!
Fighting out of the red corner are England, who have fond memories of facing India in a Men’s T20 World Cup semifinal but a lot has changed since then. Still, they will be confident going up against the formidable Indian juggernaut. No team has ever successfully defended a Men’s T20 World Cup title, but Jos Buttler and his squad are on track to becoming the first to do so. They are heavily reliant on their top order, and their performance will be pivotal in deciding the reigning champions’ fortunes in this encounter. With the ball, Adil Rashid will be a central figure during the middle overs, but his effectiveness will depend on the pacers setting the tone upfront.
In the blue corner stand India, unbeaten so far and determined to add a Men’s ICC trophy to their cabinet for the first time since 2013. Having suffered a crushing defeat by the same opponent in the 2022 semifinal, losing by 10 wickets, Rohit Sharma and his team are eager to bury the ghosts of that past and move one step closer to the silverware. Though Virat Kohli is yet to fire, he is known for rising to big occasions, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he delivers in this clash. India’s bowling has been a collective effort, with different individuals making crucial contributions at different stages.
Hello and welcome everyone! In a much-anticipated rematch of the 2022 Men’s T20 World Cup semi-final, India and England square off at the Guyana National Stadium. Once again, the stakes are high, with a place in the final at stake, where South Africa await after coming up trumps against Afghanistan in a dominant fashion. Even the slightest slip-up could spell the end for either team, but both sides will feel they are yet to play their best game. What better opportunity than a semi-final to bring out their best, with a potential final on the horizon?
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Rishabh Pant walks in at number 3.