T20 World Cup 2024 Archives

Ricky Ponting has an advice for South Africa ahead of T20 World Cup final

Australia’s two-time World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting offered a piece of advice for South Africa ahead of their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 final against India.

South Africa and India will lock horns in the final of the ongoing mega event at Kensington Oval, Barbados on June 29.

This is the first time the Proteas Men are competing in a World Cup final, having lost seven semi-finals, including a gut-wrenching defeat against Australia in the 1999 World Cup.

Meanwhile, former Australia captain Ponting wants South Africa to embrace the importance of the big match and advised the team to enjoy it as they have not been there before.

“A lot of teams say ‘It’s just another game’ and they try and hide away from how big the occasion is and it is no good doing that. it is all about embracing it for what it is,” Ponting stated.

“These players haven’t been there before, so enjoy tonight, enjoy tomorrow. But make sure everything you do leading in is the same and your preparation is the same,” he added.

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Ricky Ponting also lauded South Africa for maintaining a perfect record in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 as the side is the only team to have won all of their matches and urged them to be themselves in the final.

“They are undefeated up to here, so they don’t need to change anything and they don’t need to try any harder.

“They just need to turn up and be the best version of themselves and the best version of themselves as a team on the day and give themselves the best chance.

“If they do that, they will be hard to beat.”

READ: Rohit advises teammates ahead of T20 World Cup 2024 final

Rohit advises teammates ahead of T20 World Cup 2024 final

India captain Rohit Sharma urged his teammates to keep it simple in their upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa.

The inaugural champions are set to lock horns with South Africa, playing their first-ever final, in a bid to lift the glittering title for the second time.

Meanwhile, India captain Rohit acknowledged the importance of the high-stakes match against South Africa but insisted his team to enter the clash with the same mindset they used at the event thus far.

“We’ve been very calm as a team,” Rohit said after India’s semi-final victory over England.

“We do understand the occasion (in the final), but for us, it’s important to keep calm and composed.

“That helps us make good decisions. We need to make good decisions through the 40 overs. In this game too, we were steady and calm, and didn’t panic too much. That has been the key for us. Yes, we do understand the occasion is important, but we need to play good cricket as well.”

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Rohit Sharma led his side from the front in the blockbuster T20 World Cup 2024 final against defending champions England as he top-scored with a well-crafted half-century at the top of the order, followed by Suryakumar Yadav’s handy contribution with a brisk 47, leading India to 171/7.

Chasing a daunting 178-run total, England were never in the run chase with India’s spinners doing most of the demolition as Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja shared six wickets between them.

“They are gun spinners,” said Rohit.

“When conditions are like that in front of them, it’s very difficult to play some shots. Yes, the pressure is on them to execute those balls, but they were very calm and knew what to bowl. We had a chat after the first innings: the plan was to hit the stumps as much as possible and keep the stumps in play and that’s what they did.”

READ: Rain threat looms large over T20 World Cup 2024 final

Rain threat looms large over T20 World Cup 2024 final

BARBADOS: The highly-anticipated ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 final between India and South Africa, scheduled here at Kensington Oval on June 29, is likely to be affected by rain.

The bad weather may play spoilsport in the final as rain is expected throughout the day.

According to weather.com, there are 66 per cent chances of rain at around 10:30 AM local time (7:30 PM PST), the scheduled start time of the game.

Moreover, the forecast remains grim late in the evening with a 50% chance of precipitation at 4:00 pm local time (1:00 AM PST), posing a threat to the possibility of a full-fledged match.

As a result, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has allocated a reserve day for the final on June 30 in a bid to ensure the completion of the high-stakes match but rigorous efforts will be made to complete the game as per the original schedule.

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Remember, both teams will need to bat a minimum of ten overs to determine the result through the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, unlike the group-stage matches where five overs per side are enough to produce the result.

Despite all the efforts, if both teams did not manage to bat ten overs each across the two-day period then the trophy will be shared.

India and South Africa are unstoppable in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 as both the finalists are thus far unbeaten.

South Africa won all eight matches they have played so far while India won seven out of eight as their group-stage fixture against Canada was abandoned without a ball bowled.

India made their way to the final by avenging their 2022 T20 World Cup semi-final defeat against England while South Africa blew away Afghanistan in the first semi-final of the ongoing mega event to qualify for their first-ever World Cup final.

READ: Match officials for T20 World Cup 2024 final confirmed

Match officials for T20 World Cup 2024 final confirmed

DUBAI: The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Friday, confirmed the match officials for the highly-anticipated final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 final between India and South Africa.

According to the apex cricketing body, Richard Illingworth and Chris Gaffaney will serve as the on-field umpires while Richard Kettleborough will take up the role of the TV umpire.

Furthermore, Rodney Tucker will be the fourth umpire of the high-stakes match.

India and South Africa will lock horns in the high-voltage T20 World Cup 2024 final at Kensington Oval, Barbados on June 29. The final of the 20-team tournament will start at 7:30 PM, Pakistan Standard Time (PST).

However, bad weather will likely affect the final as heavy rainfall is expected throughout the day.

According to weather.com, there are 66 per cent chances of rain at around 10:30 AM local time (7:30 PM PST), the scheduled start time of the game.

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Moreover, the forecast remains grim late in the evening with a 50% chance of precipitation at 4:00 pm local time (1:00 AM PST), posing a threat to the possibility of a full-fledged match.

As a result, the ICC has allocated a reserve day for the final on June 30 in a bid to ensure the completion of the high-stakes match but rigorous efforts will be made to complete the game as per the original schedule.

Despite all the efforts, if both teams did not manage to bat ten overs each across the two-day period then the trophy will be shared.

READ: Babar Azam kicks off training after T20 World Cup 2024 debacle

Babar Azam kicks off training after T20 World Cup debacle

LAHORE: Pakistan’s white-ball captain Babar Azam has commenced training briefly after his return from the United States of America (USA) where he led the national team in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

According to the details, Babar started physical training at National Cricket Academy (NCA). The right-handed batter trained for two hours in the scorching heat in a bid to focus on his fitness.

Details further suggest that Babar Azam will start batting in the nets from Monday and is available for the upcoming home Test series against Bangladesh.

The star batter, however, will partake in Global T20 Canada 2024 where he will represent Vancouver Knights, prior to the Bangladesh Tests.

The fourth season of the GT20 will run from July 25 until August 11. The six-team tournament will be played at TD Cricket Arena in Brampton.

For the unversed, Babar Azam and the team have been under severe criticism following the team’s dismal campaign in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.

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Pakistan had a disastrous start to their campaign as they endured a shock loss against the USA in the Super Over as they failed to chase down the 19-run target.

Following the defeat against the USA, Pakistan succumbed to a frustrating six-run defeat against arch-rivals India.

The back-to-back defeats put Pakistan on the verge of an early exit from the tournament. The former champions got on the winning track when they registered a hard-fought seven-wicket victory over Canada to keep Super Eights hopes alive.

However, the USA’s match against Ireland was abandoned without a ball bowled due to persistent rain in Florida, resulting in Pakistan getting knocked out of the tournament as the USA progressed from Group A along with India.

Pakistan then edged past Ireland in another stiff challenge to bow out of the T20 World Cup 2024 with a win.

READ: India crush England to reach T20 World Cup 2024 final

India crush England to reach T20 World Cup 2024 final

GUYANA: Rohit Sharma’s blistering half-century, followed by a dominant bowling display led India to thump England here at Providence Stadium on Thursday and qualify for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 final.

Chasing a daunting 172-run target, England’s strong batting unit unfolded on just 103 runs and thus succumbed to a thumping defeat in the semi-final.

England captain Jos Buttler gave his side a decent start with a 15-ball 23 but perished on the first delivery of the fourth while playing a reverse sweep against Axar Patel.

The defending champions then lost three more wickets in quick succession and consequently slipped to 46/4 in 7.1 overs.

Coming out to bat at No.5, Harry Brook offered a notable fightback with his 19-ball 25 before Kuldeep Yadav cleaned him up in the 11th over. Brook remained the top-scorer for England.

Jofra Archer and Liam Livingstone (11) put on 14 runs for the eighth-wicket partnership which lasted with the latter getting run out in the 15th over.

However, Archer’s retaliation came to an end in the 17th over when Jasprit Bumrah trapped him lbw. He remained a notable contributor for England with 21 off 15 balls.

Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav bagged three wickets each for India while Bumrah picked two.

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Put into bat first, India registered 171/7 on the board, courtesy of a solid partnership between Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav.

India had a shaky start to their innings as Virat Kohli, once again, failed to score in double digits. He was cleaned up by Reece Topley in the third over with just 19 runs on the board.

The former champions then suffered another blow to their batting expedition as wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant fell victim to Sam Curran after scoring four.

Former top-ranked T20I batter Suryakumar Yadav then joined skipper Rohit Sharma in the middle when India were 40/2 in 5.2 overs.

The pair batted sensibly and put India in a comfortable position with a brilliant third-wicket partnership.

Yadav and Sharma took calculated risks and added 73 runs amid their stand until top-ranked T20I bowler Adil Rashid provided England a much-needed breakthrough by dismissing India’s skipper in the 14th over.

Rohit Sharma remained the top-scorer for India with a 39-ball 57 which featured six fours and two sixes.

Suryakumar Yadav soon followed in Sharma’s footsteps as he departed in the 16th over, courtesy of Jofra Archer’s back-of-the-hand slower delivery.

He made 47 in 36 balls with the help of four fours and two sixes.

Hardik Pandya then put together a one-sided partnership with Ravindra Jadeja which yielded 22 runs in 12 deliveries.

Pandya scored a brisk 23 off 13 deliveries, laced up with one four and two sixes before falling victim to Chris Jordan in the 18th over.

Jordan struck again on the next delivery to send Shivam Dube packing for a golden duck as India slipped to 146/6 in 17.5 overs.

Axar Patel and Ravindra Jadeja then combined for a quick 24-run partnership which ended with the former’s dismissal on the penultimate delivery of the innings.

Patel scored 10 off six balls while Jadeja remained not out with a nine-ball 17.

Chris Jordan led the bowling attack for England with three wickets but was expensive while Adil Rashid, Reece Topley, Jofra Archer and Sam Curran chipped in with a wicket apiece.

It is pertinent to mention here that the winner of the second semi-final between India and England will face South Africa in the T20 World Cup 2024 final, scheduled at Kensington Oval, Barbados on June 29.

READ: “South Africa’s chokers tag is out the window,” says Marco Jansen

“South Africa’s chokers tag is out the window,” says Marco Jansen

Young pacer Marco Jansen believes that South Africa have dispelled the “chokers” tag with their sensational run in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.

The Proteas, led by Aiden Markram, are unstoppable in the ongoing mega event as they are the only side to win all the matches they have played thus far.

South Africa held their nerves calm and emerged triumphant in close encounters against England and Nepal.

For the unversed, South Africa are often labelled as “chokers” in world cricket, due to their inability to go past the semi-finals stage in any Men’s Cricket World Cup and also because of losing high-stakes matches.

Meanwhile, Marco Jansen highlighted the team’s current form changed that label as they got over the line in some tense matches which, according to him, most of the teams could not replicate.

“I’m too young, I don’t believe in that any more. For the guys that have been playing a long time, for them to change that narrative or thinking when it comes to this team is very good,” said Jansen.

“In terms of the chokers label, I’m glad we changed that a little bit in this World Cup. The games that we’ve played in this World Cup, not a lot of teams would have got over the line,” he added.

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Marco Jansen played a pivotal role in South Africa’s first-ever victory in a semi-final with brilliant bowling figures of 3/16 in 1.5 overs and was adjudged the Player of the Match.

“We weren’t sure how the wicket was going to play. We were happy to get one wicket in the first over, and then by the time I got my third we saw how the wicket was playing,” said Jansen.

“Going into this final we’re going to give it our best, and whatever happens, happens.”

It is worth mentioning here that South Africa outclassed Afghanistan by nine wickets in the first semi-final to qualify for the T20 World Cup 2024 final, scheduled on June 29.

READ: Michael Vaughan highlights India’s “unfair advantage” in T20 World Cup

England elect to bowl first against India in T20 World Cup semi-final

GUYANA: England have won the toss and opted to field first against India in the second semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 here at Providence Stadium on Thursday.

PLAYING XIs

Both India and England are unchanged.

India: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah.

England: Jos Buttler (c & wk), Phil Salt, Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley.

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Speaking at the toss, England captain Jos Buttler termed Providence Stadium’s pitch a decent surface and expressed his hope that it would support his decision to bowl first.

“Looks a decent surface, everyone’s talked about the low bounce at this ground. With the rain around we hope it’s an advantage to bowl first,” said Buttler.

India’s captain Rohit Sharma contradicted his English counterpart’s remarks, stating that the pitch looks dry so they want to put runs on the board.

“Weather seems clear. Big game and we want to put runs on the board. [Pitch] looks a little dry, hopefully, it gets slower and slower,” Sharma said.

HEAD TO HEAD

India and England have faced each other 23 times in T20 Internationals with the formers having a slight edge in the head-to-head record.

Matches 23, India 12, England

FORM GUIDE

Both India and England are going strong in the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024 but the 2007 champions boast a superior track record as they are unbeaten in the tournament.

Whereas, England, who twice found themselves in a state of bother, brushed aside the uncertainty surrounding their future in the mega event with statement victories over Oman in the group stage and the USA in the Super Eights to become the first side to book their spot in the semi-finals.

India: W, W, W, NR, W (most recent first)

England: W, L, W, W, W

READ: Michael Vaughan highlights India’s “unfair advantage” in T20 World Cup

Michael Vaughan highlights India’s “unfair advantage” in T20 World Cup

Former England cricketer and renowned commentator Michael Vaughan slammed the International Cricket Council (ICC) for allegedly favouring India during the ongoing T20 World Cup 2024.

Vaughan, a notable voice in world cricket, spoke about Afghanistan’s tight schedule for their semi-final against South Africa and stressed that India and England should have played the first semi-final.

“Surely this [Afghanistan vs South Africa] semi should have been the Guyana one .. but because the whole event is geared towards India it’s so unfair on others,” he wrote in a post on X.

“So Afghanistan qualify for the WC semi winning in St Vincent on Monday night .. 4 hr flight delay on Tues to Trinidad so no time to practice or get accustomed to a new venue .. utter lack of respect to players I am afraid,” Vaughan added.

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Michael Vaughan then went on to accuse India of getting an unfair advantage throughout the T20 World Cup 2024.

“Surely this [Afghanistan vs South Africa] semi should have been the Guyana one .. but because the whole event is geared towards India it’s so unfair on others,” he further stated.

Earlier, Afghanistan head coach Jonathan Trott also expressed dissatisfaction with his side’s tight schedule as they got less time to prepare than their opposition.

“Playing the last group game and then playing the first semi-final isn’t ideal – travelling and not really having, a day off if you like. But that’s not a reason we didn’t win.

“We knew the schedule, so that’s not an excuse as such. In tournaments you can’t have everything your own way, you’ve got to fight and play against the odds. We have done that at times and I’m very proud of that.”

READ: Wet outfield delays India-England semi-final toss

Wet outfield delays India-England semi-final toss

GUYANA: The coin toss for the highly-anticipated second semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 between defending champions England and India has been delayed due to a wet outfield here at Providence Stadium.

According to the details, it is not currently raining here but the outfield is not yet suitable for the action.

A few members of the ground staff walked out and the pipes used to keep the covers grounded are being removed.

The situation indicates that the ground staff will get the field ready for the action in around 30 minutes if the rain does not return.

Earlier, the weather forecast suggested that it is likely to rain throughout the day, with the downpour likely to intensify after 10:00 AM local time, half an hour before the scheduled start of the match at 10:30 AM.

There were 66 per cent chances of rain at the scheduled time of the coin toss which would increase to 75 per cent an hour late.

The chances of rain will then significantly reduce to as low as 34 per cent between 1 PM and 2 PM.

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For the unversed, the International Cricket Council (ICC) did not schedule a reserve day for the second semi-final.

The apex cricketing body, however, allocated an extra time of 250 minutes for the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2024 between India and England, in a bid to give the ground staff ample time to prepare the field if rain allows.

The winner of the second semi-final will face South Africa in the final, who outclassed Afghanistan in the first knockout game earlier today in Trinidad.

The Proteas bundled out Afghanistan on a meagre 56 and chased down the target for the loss of just one wicket and 67 balls to spare.

If the second semi-final gets abandoned then the team with a superior record in the Super Eight stage will qualify for the final.

Therefore, India will advance into the T20 World Cup 2024 final as the 2007 champions topped Group 1 standings with three victories in three matches. Whereas, England concluded the stage second with two victories in three matches.

READ: Afghanistan coach blames pitch after semi-final defeat against South Africa