A Top-Order Collapse Sees England Crash Out in Semi-Final, India Advance to Final

England’s hopes of retaining their T20 World Cup crown were shattered by a dominant India in the semi-final, as they fell to a crushing 68-run defeat in Guyana. England’s batting lineup, exposed and vulnerable throughout the match, managed only 103 all out in response to India’s 171 for seven.

The defeat marks the end of England’s reign as T20 champions, and despite progress since their disastrous 50-over World Cup performance in India last year, they were comprehensively outplayed by a superior Indian side. On a challenging Providence Stadium pitch, which was slow and offered turn, India made the most of the conditions. Rohit Sharma anchored the innings with a crucial 57, and a 73-run partnership with Suryakumar Yadav set India up for a competitive total.

In contrast, England’s batting collapsed under pressure, with only two players from the top six reaching double figures. Their chase faltered early, with key wickets falling cheaply. Jos Buttler’s brief resistance was cut short by an early spin delivery from Axar Patel, which he mistimed and offered a simple catch to the wicketkeeper. England’s troubles deepened when Phil Salt’s drive at Jasprit Bumrah ended in a bowled dismissal, and Jonny Bairstow was out for a duck to Patel, who also struck again to dismiss Moeen Ali, who was stumped after charging the spinner.

Sam Curran’s promotion to number six proved futile as he was soon trapped lbw, leaving England at 49 for five. Although Harry Brook made a quick 25, he was undone by Kuldeep Yadav’s spin and bowled off a reverse sweep. Jofra Archer provided some late fireworks with two sixes, but it wasn’t enough to stop the inevitable. With poor calls and run-outs affecting their already slim chances, England’s innings was over in just 16.4 overs, handing India a comfortable victory.

India now advance to the final against South Africa in Barbados, while England head home after a tournament that never quite met expectations. Although they reached the semi-finals, their inconsistency and heavy losses to the bigger teams, particularly Australia and India, revealed the extent of the gap between them and the world’s top sides. England’s performance was a far cry from their previous white-ball success, leaving their coach Matthew Mott and captain Jos Buttler under scrutiny ahead of future challenges.