NEW DELHI: India cricket fans were left devastated and angry Thursday after seeing their team and their dreams of a T20 World Cup final against fierce rivals Pakistan crushed by England.
Chasing India’s 168-6 in the second T20 World Cup semifinal in Adelaide, England’s Alex Hales and Jos Buttler raced to their target with four overs to spare as they mounted an unbroken opening stand of 170.
One of the most one-sided matches in a World Cup knock-out phase was branded a “humiliating loss” by India’s CNaN News 18 TV channel.
Cricket is by far the most popular sport in India and matches between the national side and England always have an intensity given Britain’s colonial history.
“I don’t mind India losing: victory & defeat are part of sports. But I do mind India not showing up today,” Indian politician Shashi Tharoor tweeted.
Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle tweeted the Indian team seemed like a different side between the group stage of the tournament and the knock-out phase.
“As one-sided as they get,” Bhogle said of the match.
India won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 but have failed to reach the final since 2014, and their qualification for the semifinal had raised hopes of finally repeating their early success.
Former Indian cricketer HarbHajjan Singh tweeted a broken heart emoticon while others on the platform suggested replacing current India coach Rahul Dravid.
“Sack Dravid, Rohit, Bhuvi, KLR, Axar, Ashwin from T20s. Get fresh blood and wrist spinners,” tweeted Twitter user GabbarSingh, demanding the departure of several of the players.
Fans had gathered at cafes and markets across India to watch the semifinal, hoping the team would win to set up a blockbuster final against Pakistan.
In the northern state of Punjab, lawyers in a district court requested judges to adjourn for the day so people could watch the semifinal, local media reports said, and the court agreed.
The defeat dominated headlines across Indian news publications as analysts called the loss “shocking,” while broadcaster NDTV blamed “over-dependence on aging stars” such as Virat Kohli.
Heartbreak for India fans after thrashing by England
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Heartbreak for India fans after thrashing by England
- One of the most one-sided matches in a World Cup knock-out phase was branded a "humiliating loss" by India's CNaN News 18 TV channel
- Cricket is by far the most popular sport in India
Medvedev to face Griekspoor in bid for second Dubai title
- Former world No. 1 Medvedev demolished top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime of Canada in the semifinal
- Despite an injury, unseeded Dutchman Griekspoor beat 5th-seed Andrey Rublev in the other semifinal
DUBAI: Daniil Medvedev reached the Dubai Tennis Championships final on Friday and will face unseeded Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor as the Russian attempts to achieve something that has eluded him throughout his stellar career — winning the same tournament twice.
Former world number one Medvedev demolished top seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-4 6-2 in an 83-minute semifinal, setting up a title clash that could see him claim a second Dubai crown to go with his 2023 triumph.
Medvedev, who has won 22 titles at 22 different tournaments, arrived in Dubai with a point to prove after early exits in Rotterdam and Doha.
However, the third seed has been in scintillating form in Dubai, dispatching Shang Juncheng, Stan Wawrinka, Jenson Brooksby and Auger-Aliassime — all in straight sets.
“It has been an amazing four matches, probably playing better and better each match, today being the best performance,” said Medvedev.
“If I can put in an even better performance tomorrow, I will have my chances to win and that is what I am going to try to do.”
Griekspoor battles injury to beat Rublev
Standing in his way will be Griekspoor, who continued his giant-killing run by beating fifth seed Andrey Rublev 7-5 7-6(6) in the other semifinal.
The Dutchman denied the 2022 champion, who also finished runner-up the following year, another shot at the Dubai trophy, saving two set points in the second-set tiebreak.
“No idea how I pulled off this one, I could barely walk at the end of the first set,” said Griekspoor, who took a medical timeout for treatment in the opening set.
“He served extremely well. I got very lucky in the tiebreak to win it in two sets ... I landed with a serve and felt something in my hamstring.
“If he had won the tiebreak, I don’t know if I would have continued.”
It marked three consecutive top-20 wins for Griekspoor for the first time in his career after he beat second seed Alexander Bublik and Jakub Mensik en route to the final.
Griekspoor, who has won three ATP 250 titles in his career, will be looking to add a first ATP 500 trophy to his collection when he faces Medvedev.
