England were thoroughly outclassed by India in the second semifinal of the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. Rohit Sharma and Co secured a resounding 68-run victory, advancing to the final. Jos Buttler, the England captain, acknowledged making tactical errors in the game.

In the first innings, England claimed seven wickets, with Chris Jordan the standout performer, taking three scalps. Recognizing the pitch conditions favored spin, England captain Buttler opted to use Liam Livingstone and Adil Rashid as the main spinners, leaving Moeen Ali on the sidelines.

India’s spin-heavy bowling attack proved effective, as Rohit Sharma turned to Axar Patel early in the powerplay. The all-rounder struck twice in the first six overs, while Ravindra Jadeja remained wicketless. Ultimately, both Axar and Kuldeep Yadav finished with three dismissals apiece.

“The opposition had some exceptional spin bowlers. Our two bowlers performed well, but in retrospect, I should have brought Moeen in earlier, given how effective the spin was proving. The rainy conditions likely led me to believe the pitch wouldn’t change much, but that assessment proved inaccurate. I believe they outbowled us, and they posted a score that was above par. So I don’t think the toss was the decisive factor in the outcome,” Jos Buttler said.

England captain Jos Buttler defended the decision to field first on a bowler-friendly pitch, noting that the defending champions had conceded 20-25 runs more than a par total that his team could have chased.

“I thought they played well. However, luck did not favor us while bowling in the power play, with a few close calls. In hindsight, I would have brought Moeen Ali into the game. Overall, it was a mixed performance – some good things, some disappointments,” he continued.

“I believe India fully deserved the victory. They posted an above-par score, which made it a tough chase for us. I was hoping to restrict them to 145-150 runs on that pitch, but they exceeded that,” he further stated.