T20 World Cup: Australia in danger of crashing out after ...
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 Tuesday (AEDT), 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.
Indian captain Rohit Sharma was named the Player of the Match after scoring 92 off just 41 deliveries.(Getty Images: Gareth Copley)
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) wasn't 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.
Travis Head briefly gave Australia a glimmer of hope of chasing down a record score, but Australia's hopes faded when he was dismissed for 76.(Getty Images: Pankaj Nangia)
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) googly 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.
AAP
Check out our live blog blow for all the action as it happened.
Rohit Sharma feeling good after exacting some revenge on Australia for last year's World Cup final.
"It is quite satisfying especially when you play like that," he says.
"We know the opposition and the threat that they bring with them as well, but I thought overall as a team we played well.
"We kept doing the things that we are supposed to do and that we know best and we can take a lot of confidence from a game like that."
On Kuldeep Yadav's match-winning performance with the ball.
"We understand the strength he has and we've got to use it when it's necessary," Sharma says.
"We know that he had a big role to play when we moved forward in the tournament and he's come forward and done the job for us."
Sharma says India doesn't want to change its approach for the semis, where they will face England.
"We don't want to do anything different, we want to play the same way we've been playing," he says.
"Not try and think too much about what's lying ahead of us and what opposition.
"It's important we play our cricket and we play it well."
Key Event
Australian captain Mitch Marsh speaks on what he called a "disappointing" loss for his side.
"We're still technically a chance to go through to the semis but today India got the better of us," he says.
"I thought it was a good game of cricket, but unfortunately we're on the bad side of it.
"Over the course of 40 overs there's a lot of small margins that you could think this or think that, ultimately India was the better team and Rohit Sharma got them off to an absolute flyer.
"We've seen for 15 years when he's in that mode he is very hard to stop, so you've got to give some credit to him."
Marsh says Australia backed themselves to chase down the score when Glenn Maxwell and Travis Head were together in the middle.
"It was more belief when thinking about who we had left in the change rooms," he says.
"In a run chase like that chasing 200 if you can keep (the required run rate) at 10 for as long as possible you're a chance, but India had some class bowlers at the end that were too good for us."
No surprises here as Indian captain Rohit Sharma is named the Player of the Match for his brilliant 92 off 41 deliveries.
Rohit set the tone for India right from the outset and helped exorcise any demons that may have been lingering from last year's World Cup final.
"That's what I have to do at the top of the order, try and see what the bowlers are trying to do and play accordingly," he says.
"Right from over number one there was a strong breeze blowing across, but they changed their plan trying to bowl against the breeze, so I had to open up the other side of the field as well.
"We need to be smart when we play, and that is something I backed myself to do."
He is asked about missing out on the century, but doesn't seem too fussed.
Key Event
Australia's World Cup hopes in Afghanistan's hands after lossIndia wins by 24 runs, which means Australia will now hope Afghanistan loses later today against Bangladesh.
If the Afghans lose, Australia will qualify for the semi-finals, albeit unconvincingly.
If Afghanistan wins, then this will be Australia's last match in the tournament.
India goes 3-0 in the Super Eights to book a semi-final date against England, a rematch of the semi-final from the 2022 T20 World Cup.
They were tested at different stages today, but were by far the better team in this one.
DROPPED! A rare drop from Ravindra Jadeja! Cummins swings one into the leg side, but it dies on Jadeja at the last moment and he spills it.
Hardik Pandya, after being smashed all afternoon, finishes off by giving up just four runs in the final over.
SIX! Slower one from Bumrah and Cummins times it perfectly as he swings it over the leg side for a maximum. The wind carrying that miles over the rope.
10 runs off that over.
This match might be done, but Australia has passed the score of 176 which was required to keep its net run rate above Afghanistan.
Afghanistan will now need to beat Bangladesh later today to advance to the semis.
Hardik to bowl the final over. Australia needs 29.
FOUR! Pure power from Tim David as he finally gets a hold of one. Crashes it straight back Arshdeep for a straight boundary.
SIX! A full toss from Arshdeep, and this one looks like a mishit from David but it comfortably clears Virat Kohli at long off.
A bit of a mixed bag of an over for India there. 14 off the over but they get the big wicket of David.
Australia needs 39 off the last two overs. Bumrah will bowl one of them, it'll be interesting to see who bowls the other.
Bumrah to bowl the next. That leaves one of Hardik or Axar to take the final over.
Key Event
WICKET! David perishes after big overTwo boundaries in the over, but Tim David falls trying to hit another full toss.
This one is again in the slot to go, but David is through it too early and Bumrah takes a good catch at short third man.
Mitchell Starc the new man in.
Key Event
WICKET! Kuldeep's brilliant take removes WadeThis is the difference between the two sides! We saw Australia have another poor outing in the field, but India has been brilliant.
Matthew Wade looks to guide this past short third man, but Kuldeep dives forward and takes an excellent catch.
It's sent upstairs by the umpires, but replays show Kuldeep took it cleanly with his fingers underneath the ball.
Australia falls further into the abyss. Arshdeep has his second wicket and Pat Cummins comes to the crease.
Just five runs off the over and the big wicket of Travis Head.
That's exactly why Rohit threw the ball to Jasprit Bumrah.
Australia needs 53 runs off the last 18 deliveries.
It's going to take something very, very special from here.
Arshdeep to bowl his final over.
Key Event
WICKET! Head gone in massive blow for AustraliaJasprit Bumrah has done it for India!
A brilliant slower ball does Travis Head all ends up, and the Aussie opener can only spoon it straight up and Rohit Sharma takes the catch.
Massive blow for the Aussies there. Matthew Wade the new man in.
FOUR BYES! A swing and a miss on an attempted yorker and it squirts past Rishabh Pant. Unlucky for Arshdeep, that was not far from the stumps.
That ruined what was another brilliant over from India.
A great return to the attack for Arshdeep, who is getting some reverse swing and nailed his yorkers there.
This match is on Travis Head's bat, it's as simple as that.
Big over coming up here, as Bumrah comes back into the attack.
Australia needs 58 off 24 deliveries.
FOUR! A shorter one from Axar and Head gets on the back foot and crashes that one through the covers. It's like he's batting on a different pitch.
An excellent over despite that boundary, with Axar's over going for just six runs.
Australia needs to get a move-on now. Head needs some help.
Arshdeep back into the attack.
Key Event
WICKET! Reverse sweep undoes StoinisMarcus Stoinis perishes after a reverse sweep!
He hits it straight to Hardik Pandya at backward point and Pandya juggles it a few times before grabbing it nochalantly.
Tim David strides to the wicket. Momentum swinging India's way now. The spinners have halted the Aussies.
FOUR! Head continues on his merry way, dragging this one from wide outside off over midwicket for a much-needed boundary for the Aussies.
Another excellent over from Kuldeep, who ends his four-over spell with figures of 2-24 off four overs.
Axar Patel to continue. Australia needs 11.83 an over off the last six.
Key Event
WICKET! Kuldeep removes Maxwell with googlyKuldeep Yadav gets the big fish!
Glenn Maxwell walks down the track and looks to heave him through the leg side, but a brilliant googly sneaks through and crashes into the stumps.
Maxwell's stay ends with 19 off 12 deliveries.
Marcus Stoinis comes to the wicket. Can he get going straight away? He's had a good tournament.
A brilliant, brilliant over from Axar Patel.
Just three runs off it for Australia, and the run rate goes up a little bit.
You'll still back the Aussies, given the two men at the crease and the wickets in the shed.
Kuldeep to finish his spell here. Can he get a wicket for India?
SIX! Travis Head slams Kuldeep over long off for another maximum.
That ruins what was an otherwise excellent over for India.
Their nemesis from last year's World Cup final taking the game away again.
Australia needs 81 off the last eight overs. Axar Patel into the attack.
Key Event
11th over - Maxwell's switch-hitting undoes JadejaFOUR! Another misfield from India as Maxwell guides this one through the two men inside the circle.
SIX! A switch-hit! Maxwell eyeing those two men inside the circle on the off side behind point and he hits this one over the fence.
FOUR! Another switch-hit from Maxwell, this time it's a one bounce boundary. India needs to change this field up. This is too easy for Maxwell at the moment.
17 runs off Jadeja's first over. Australia looking the goods right now. They need 91 off 55 balls with eight wickets in hand.
Kuldeep continues from the other end.
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