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India
186/5 (20)
Zimbabwe
115/10 (17.2)
IND won by 71 runs.
Player of the match: Suryakumar Yadav
 
So that is that from today's coverage of the T20 World Cup. The tournament breaks for a couple of days before the two semifinals and the summit clash at the MCG next Sunday. We will bring you all the extensive coverage of these games right here on Sportskeeda so make sure you join us for the same, while also keeping yourselves updated with all the other cricketing news and action from around the globe on this very platform. Until then, this is the duo of Bala and Sooryanarayanan taking your leave. Thank you so much for tuning in today - see you around soon. Goodbye and here's to a great week ahead!
And so, here we are. The first round is done, so is the Super 12 and we have our semifinal lineup of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2022 - New Zealand will take on Pakistan at the SCG on Wednesday (November 9) while India play England at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday (November 10). Who'd have thunk at the start of the day that we wouldn't see South Africa in the knockouts, eh? But that's how this format is - T20 cricket never ceases to amaze and the Netherlands upsetting the Proteas' apple cart was undoubtedly the story of the day. What a tournament we've had and we're set for more thrills and spills come the semifinals!
Four wins out of five games and top of the pile in Group 2 - India can be mighty pleased with how they've performed. Of course, there remain areas to work upon - the spinners, Rohit Sharma's own form, the form of Hardik Pandya and the death bowling which hasn't quite been tested to the hilt since the game against Pakistan. But the way they've had most components working, it is as good as they could have asked for ahead of the semifinals. Zimbabwe will travel back home with work to do themselves, but with plenty to be proud of as well. They overcame Ireland and Scotland to make it to the Super 12 and their bowlers have been largely incredible all tournament. Their batting continues to hinge on the shoulders of Sikandar Raza, but they wrote themselves into cricketing folklore with a historic win over Pakistan. They have, like so many other teams in the competition, have shown that they aren't just here to make up the numbers alright!
Rohit Sharma (India Captain): I thought it was a good all-round performance. Before the game we had qualified but it was important for us to come out and play the way we wanted to play. (On Suryakumar Yadav's knock) What he's doing for the team is remarkable. Just coming out there and playing the way he wants to play, taking the pressure off the other batters as well. From the team's perspective it's very important. It allows the other guys batting around him to take a bit of time as well. The dugout can be at ease when he bats and he's shown his range in the games he has played so far. He has gone from strength to strength. (Semifinal against England in Adelaide) The key for us will be to adjust to the conditions as quickly as possible. We've played a game there recently so we understand what we need to do as a team. England will be a good challenge for us - they've been playing really good cricket. That's what you expect in a semifinal. But we don't want to forget what has got us here. We need to stick to that. It's going to be a high pressure game but we can take a lot of pride in qualifying firstly and we need to play really well in the semifinal. If we do well there we've got another big game ahead as well. We need to understand what are the lines and lengths in terms of bowling and what are the shots to play. The square boundaries are shorter so we need to adapt accordingly. (On the crowd support) They've been brilliant all this while, coming and watching us. Almost everywhere we've gone they've followed us. We expect the same in the semifinal as well. On behalf of the team I would really like to thank them.
Craig Ervine (Zimbabwe Captain): Maybe we could have changed up a couple of our plans. I thought Surya did extremely well at the back end and Richie's wide yorkers was our initial plan. We could have taken pace off maybe but credit to him (SKY) - he completely changed the game. Leading up to the tournament we had some real positivity upfront with the bat. Last couple of games we probably went away from that positive, fearless cricket. I know it's difficult when the ball is moving upfront but if you just stand there and let it swing you will nick one off. You need to walk around and try to counter it. Our last few results didn't go as planned but we mustn't forget the really good work done to get into the Super 12. We've fielded really well. The last two games we've let ourselves down with the ground fielding but the boys have done really well.
Suryakumar Yadav is adjudged the Player of the Match!

Here's what he has to say: "I think the plan was very clear. When me and Hardik were batting together, we talked about it and decided to take a positive route from here and see where it takes us by the end of the 20th over. That over went well and we kept going. The atmosphere around the team is good, the build-up to the knockout has been good. My plan is always clear. I bat in the same way that I bat in the nets, nothing different.  Whatever situation, I see what the team needs and bat accordingly. (On completing 1000 runs in 2022) Feels really good. But coming out and starting from zero is what I always think when I come out to bat. And I'll keep doing that. It's good to see people come out and support us like this even after we've qualified."
Match summary: India beat Zimbabwe by 71 runs to finish at the top of Group 2.

Suryakumar Yadav 61* (25) | Ravichandran Ashwin 3/22 (4)
Ryan Burl 35 (22) | Sean Williams 2/9 (2)

A clinical bowling performance. Almost flawless from India barring that brief passage when Ryan Burl and Sikandar Raza launched a counter-punch but it was an inevitable result given that they simply had far too much on hand. And that was thanks to a certain Suryakumar Yadav ransacking runs aplenty in the death overs earlier to have the Men in Blue post 186 on the board!

Bhuvneshwar Kumar struck first ball and along with Arshdeep Singh, got that brand new white cherry to talk. It swerved around like a boomerang and both new ball bowlers let it off a string to keep the Zimbabwean batters on their toes. Three wickets inside the powerplay and the writing was already on the wall.

Mohammed Shami bowled with fire again and Hardik Pandya hit the deck hard himself. It was all down to Sikandar Raza once again though as the Chevrons were reeling at 36/5 with work aplenty to do. He had Ryan Burl for company and the duo hit back after a period of strike rotation. Taking a liking to the spin duo of Axar Patel and Ravichandran Ashwin, they racked up a brisk 50-run partnership and just put the game in the balance for a bit. Neither spinner could get their radar right initially but once Ashwin started to give it a bit more air, it worked like a charm, starting with the wicket of Burl who was castled.

That began a fresh procession as from 96/4, Zimbabwe slumped to 115 all out with wickets falling like ninepins. The equation got out of bounds for Raza too as every Indian bowler who had the ball in hand got in amongst the wickets. The spinners were given a workout ahead of the semifinals and they did well to fight back after a tough beginning. Zimbabwe's campaign has ended on a tame note but haven't they lit up the tournament or what. That said, at the end of the Super 12 stage, we finally know what the semifinal lineup looks like. Stick around as we hear from the captains shortly...
A tame end to the innings and that's that for the Super 12s. India win by 71 runs to finish atop Group 2. They will face England in Adelaide while Pakistan head over to Sydney to take on New Zealand!
17.2 Axar Patel to Tendai Chatara, OUT! That's it! India complete a clinical victory! Slower through the air on a good length ball. Chatara is flummoxed by the change in pace. Chips it straight back to the bowler who makes no mistake. India wrap up a 71-run thumping!
Tendai Chatara c & b Axar Patel 4 (4b, 1x4, 0x6)
17.1 Axar Patel to Tendai Chatara, FOUR! Struck powerfully down the ground! Gives it a bit of air and it's a touch too full. Chatara swings hard and helps himself to a boundary
Rohit remains at slip.
Axar Patel [3.0-0-36-0] is back into the attack.

Just one more wicket for the Indians to wrap things up and top the table.
17
overs
111 /9 score
2
1
1lb
1w
W
0
0
runs
cricket bat icon Tendai Chatara
0 (2)
cricket bat icon Blessing Muzarabani *
0 (2)
cricket ball icon Hardik Pandya
2 /16
16.6 Hardik Pandya to Blessing Muzarabani, fuller ball on the leg-stump. Blocks it on the on-side
16.5 Hardik Pandya to Blessing Muzarabani, fuller on a length around the off-stump. Fends at it and gets beaten
Nelson on the board. Will it strike again? One slip in place.
Blessing Muzarabani, RHB, is the last man out in the middle
Right in the bread basket and that's too easy for Suryakumar Yadav. India are just one wicket away now from bundling the Chevrons out.
16.4 Hardik Pandya to Sikandar Raza, OUT! Raza has to walk back! Slower ball short of a good length. Raza has a swing at it but can't enough power on it to clear the humungous square leg boundary where SKY gobbles it up.
Sikandar Raza c Suryakumar Yadav b Hardik Pandya 34 (24b, 3x4, 0x6)