MUMBAI: A few runs here and a couple of catches there, the storyline would have been different. Not just for England but even for India. Such was the margin of victory — seven runs — in the end. It was emotionally and physically draining for players in the middle and fans in the stands. And those billions watching at home too when 253 runs seemed chaseable.
The mild breeze from the Arabian Sea was caressing the stands beautifully draped in blue — India’s colour. The moment Sanju Samson hit the middle of the bat and a few runs later when England captain Harry Brook dropped him when he was just on 15, the stars were shining for India.
India crossed the semifinal line with ease as both sides massacred the bowlers from both sides, except the one called Jasprit Bumrah. Sanju went on to make 89 off 42 balls. A few dot balls and couple of extraordinary catches by Axar Patel at crucial times clinched it for the hosts.
Just after Hardik Pandya ran out Jacob Bethell from the deep in the final over, smiles were visible across the field. Five balls later, India were in the T20 World Cup final, where they would take on New Zealand on Sunday. From the moment they posted 253/7, India knew they had one foot in the final. It is the template they had followed for the 18 months in the lead up to the T20 World Cup. It is the kind of approach they wanted to have no matter the opponent. Up until the match against Zimbabwe in Chennai, India did not get the conditions to do so.
They were asked to bat by Sikandar Raza then just like they were by Brook on Thursday. And India finally had the kind of batting day they wanted. They posted 256/4 then, and the bowlers were happy to defend it even if it meant they went for runs. Arshdeep Singh said as much then.
However, Thursday was different. The stakes were higher. The occasion could not get any bigger. A home T20 World Cup semifinal at Wankhede and the opposition — England — have the depth and batting to take on any total India put in front of them. And the conditions were only going to get better in the second innings. Dew had already kicked in and England had batters who could keep them in the game till the final wicket fell. If there ever was a team who can have a chance to chase it down it was England.
India needed something special, something extra, things they have not gotten right so far to get better of England. They were very much aware that their bowlers — even the best of the lot — were going for runs. And they did. Varun Chakravarthy — England’s nemesis who tormented them during the bilateral T20I series last year returned with 64 runs and a wicket in his quota of four overs. Axar Patel, 35/1 in three overs. Hardik Pandya, 29/1 in three overs. Arshdeep Singh, 35/1 in three overs. Even Bumrah had gone for 19/1 in his first two overs. For someone who operates at a little over six runs per over, that was on the higher side.
It was coming down to who held up the nerves when it mattered the most. India, knowing the resources they had, wanted to take the game as deep as possible and leave it to Bumrah in the death. But to take the game deep itself, they needed Axar to pull off something special. Coming into the World Cup with the worst catching record, Axar pulled not one but two catches of the tournament.
First, it was Harry Brook mistiming a slower one off Bumrah as Axar ran from the inner circle at cover to the boundary and took a diving catch.
It gave India a breather but the contest was far from over. Despite being four down, Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell believed. After all, one of them had done it time and again through the tournament for England. Jacks came in with four Player of the Match awards, but here he was just a supporting act. Bethell was the protagonist for England.
From the moment he walked in, the 22-year-old showed why he belonged at the highest level; why he is regarded as one for the future. He took on Axar, Varun, Bumrah, Arshdeep and everyone else who came in his way with ease and disdain. And it was not sling-hitting. Bethell picked his spots and bowlers and played the field. He added 26 off 10 with Jos Buttler, 31 from 10 balls with Tom Banton and 77 off 39 balls with Jacks.
That partnership came to an end only because of yet another stunner from Axar in the deep. Jacks took on Arshdeep and Axar ran along the ropes to take a sensational catch before tossing it over to Shivam Dube as he fell over the boundary. Even then, Bethell believed. And it got to India in such a way that they had to finish off both Bumrah and Arshdeep before the 18th over.
With 39 required in two overs, Pandya delivered first with the ball to keep the equation to 30 off six and then a throw from the deep to catch Bethell short of crease. His 105 runs from 48 balls were not enough as India eventually prevailed.
Billed as one of the closest matches in the tournament, the semifinal lived up to the expectations. And in the end, India had the last laugh. They now have need one more perfect day to get the hands on the trophy.