Australia’s Twenty20 World Cup hopes are hanging by a thread after falling victim to an all-out assault from Rohit Sharma and being beaten by 24 runs by India.
After Rohit’s 92 from 41 balls helped India post 5-205 in St Lucia, Travis Head’s 76 kept Australia in the game before they finished 7-181 in reply.
The result means their World Cup will be over if Afghanistan beat Bangladesh later on Monday local time in the Caribbean, following defeats in Australia’s last two games.
A Bangladesh win would likely see Australia progress to face South Africa in the semi-finals, unless the Tigers are able to win by a significant margin and leapfrog Mitch Marsh’s men on net run-rate.
Australia were always on the back foot at Daren Sammy Stadium on Tuesday.
Rohit took charge when he helped crunch 29 runs from the third over of the game off Mitchell Starc, after the left-armer was recalled in place of spinner Ashton Agar.
Starc (2-45) was not alone in copping punishment, with Pat Cummins (0-48), Adam Zampa (0-41) and Marcus Stoinis (2-56) all going at more than 10 an over.
In a brutal display of hitting Rohit smashed eight sixes and seven fours, clearing the boundary over cover and mid-wicket with a mixture of brilliant timing and sheer power.
Rohit’s 19-ball 50 marked the fastest ever against Australia, with his dominance clear in the fact India’s team score was 1-52 when he passed the milestone.
Only Josh Hazlewood was able to slow India down, appearing as if he was bowling on a different pitch with his 1-14 after removing Virat Kohli for a duck early.
Starc also did well to rebound late, bowling Robit with a yorker that hit both bat and pad on the way through.
But by then, the damage was done.
Australia lost an edging David Warner in the first over of the chase for six, in what will be the veteran opener’s last international match if his team do not progress.
Mitch Marsh offered hope of a captain’s knock with 37 from 28 balls, but the match swung when he was superbly caught by a jumping Axar Patel on the boundary.
Glenn Maxwell also threatened to provide Head the support he needed when he struck 15 off his first four balls, switch-hitting spinner Ravindra Jadeja.
But when he walked down the pitch at a Kuldeep Yadav (2-24) wrong’un on 20 and was bowled, Australia’s fightback took another hit.
And while Head threatened to repeat his ODI World Cup final heroics against India from last year with powerful drives and pull shots, he was eventually caught trying to take on Jasprit Bumrah.
After the equation was at one stage 82 from eight, Australia lost 5-54 from that point on as none of their middle order below No.4 Maxwell fired.
The result means the undefeated India qualify for the semi-finals and will face England, while Australia’s hopes of being world champions in all formats are in grave danger.
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