GROS-ISLET, Saint Lucia: Rohit Sharma led from the front with a blistering 92 as India beat Australia by 24 runs in St. Lucia on Monday to seal their place in the semifinals of the T20 World Cup.
The India captain’s dashing innings — he faced just 41 balls, including seven fours and eight sixes — was the cornerstone of a total of 205-5 made after he lost the toss.
Australia eventually finished their reply on 181-7, with left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh taking 3-37.
India will now face defending champions England in Thursday’s semifinal in Guyana.
Defeat meant Australia’s fate was no longer in their own hands.
Afghanistan, who produced a stunning upset in beating Australia by 21 runs last time out, will qualify for the semifinals if they defeat Bangladesh later Monday in the concluding Group One game of the Super Eights.
Australia lost David Warner for just six when the veteran left-handed opener was undone by a full-length delivery from Arshdeep that he could only edge to Suryakumar Yadav at slip.
Travis Head, whose superb century crushed Indian dreams of a 50-over World Cup final win on home soil last year, kept Australia in the hunt with a well-made 76 off 43 balls.
His second-wicket stand of 81 with skipper Mitchell Marsh looked to be turning the tide.
But Marsh was brilliantly caught one-handed on the boundary by a leaping Axar Patel off Kuldeep Yadav for 37.
Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep then bowled dangerman Glenn Maxwell for 20 with a superb ‘wrong-un’ on his way to fine figures of 2-24 in his maximum four overs.
And when Head holed out off a superbly-disguised slower ball from paceman Jasprit Bumrah, Australia were all but beaten at 150-5 in the 17th over.
Earlier, India star batsman Virat Kohli holed out for a five-ball duck off Josh Hazlewood, with Tim David taking a fine running catch over his shoulder.
But fellow opener Rohit then cut loose. He was particularly severe on Mitchell Starc, the only change to the Australia team following their upset defeat by Afghanistan.
He hit the left-arm fast bowler for 29 runs in a third over where he struck four sixes — two in successive balls over extra-cover, a monster hit over deep midwicket and a top-edged full toss over the wicketkeeper.
But with Rohit threatening the first hundred of this tournament, Starc bowled him with an excellent yorker.
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Rohit stars as India beat Australia to reach T20 World Cup semifinals
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Rohit stars as India beat Australia to reach T20 World Cup semifinals
- India captain’s dashing innings — he faced just 41 balls, including seven fours and eight sixes — was the cornerstone of a total of 205-5
- Australia eventually finished their reply on 181-7, with left-arm quick Arshdeep Singh taking 3-37
Mohammed Ben Sulayem re-elected unopposed in contentious FIA election
- Two would-be candidates, Swiss national Laura Villars and American former FIA steward Tim Mayer, were denied the chance to run
- A Paris court last week decided not to suspend the election but ordered a trial to examine the electoral process
PARIS: Mohammed Ben Sulayem was re-elected as president of motorsport’s governing body the International Automobile Federation (FIA) on Friday in an election in which he faced no challengers.
The Dubai-born 64-year-old was the only candidate in the vote held in Tashkent in an election that has been contested in the courts.
Two would-be candidates, Swiss national Laura Villars and American former FIA steward Tim Mayer, were denied the chance to run against Ben Sulayem due to FIA rules.
Under the Paris-based FIA election regulations, candidates are required to appoint vice presidents from each of the six global regions, chosen from a list approved by the Paris-based FIA.
But there is only one vice president listed from South America, Brazilian Fabiana Ecclestone — the wife of ex-Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone — and she gave her backing to Ben Sulayem.
A Paris court last week decided not to suspend the election but ordered a trial to examine the electoral process after hearing an urgent application from Villars, a 28-year-old Swiss driver.
“The judge hearing the summary proceedings ruled that this dispute was a matter for the trial court, and we will therefore continue this lawsuit against the FIA before the trial judges. A first hearing is scheduled for February 16, 2026,” Villars’ lawyer Robin Binsard said in a statement last week.
The lawyer said that “given the challenges raised, (the election result) may be examined, questioned or annulled by the court.”
As a result Ben Sulayem, who succeeded Jean Todt at the head of the FIA in 2021, was confirmed in the post — subject to the upcoming court verdict.
“Thank you to all our FIA Members for voting in remarkable numbers and placing your trust in me once again. We have overcome many obstacles but here today, together, we are stronger than ever,” Ben Sulayem said in a statement.
‘Cleaning the house’
The FIA said in a statement that Friday’s election was “conducted in line with the FIA’s statutes through a robust and transparent voting process, reflecting the democratic foundations of the federation and the collective voice of its global membership.”
The FIA is responsible for organizing the Formula One and rally world championships, as well as promoting road safety. It has more than 240 clubs across 146 countries, representing around 80 million members.
A former rally driver, Ben Sulayem’s time at the helm of motorsport has been dogged by controversy.
He was taken to task by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for using stereotypical language when discussing the use of foul outbursts by drivers on team radios.
Drivers fell out with the FIA over its crackdown on swearing. The guidelines were strengthened in January, triggering an indignant response from drivers.
Controversial fines were later reduced after a backlash from the grid.
Ben Sulayem defended his record last weekend as he looked toward another four years at the helm of motorsport.
“I would say I am looking forward for the next four years,” he said. “Cleaning the house was not easy, getting the right people in the FIA was a challenge. Now I can tell you, it was worth the four years of investment.
“And if you tell me now ‘OK, if you have the power to rewind the four years, what would you do differently?’. Nothing.”
The Dubai-born 64-year-old was the only candidate in the vote held in Tashkent in an election that has been contested in the courts.
Two would-be candidates, Swiss national Laura Villars and American former FIA steward Tim Mayer, were denied the chance to run against Ben Sulayem due to FIA rules.
Under the Paris-based FIA election regulations, candidates are required to appoint vice presidents from each of the six global regions, chosen from a list approved by the Paris-based FIA.
But there is only one vice president listed from South America, Brazilian Fabiana Ecclestone — the wife of ex-Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone — and she gave her backing to Ben Sulayem.
A Paris court last week decided not to suspend the election but ordered a trial to examine the electoral process after hearing an urgent application from Villars, a 28-year-old Swiss driver.
“The judge hearing the summary proceedings ruled that this dispute was a matter for the trial court, and we will therefore continue this lawsuit against the FIA before the trial judges. A first hearing is scheduled for February 16, 2026,” Villars’ lawyer Robin Binsard said in a statement last week.
The lawyer said that “given the challenges raised, (the election result) may be examined, questioned or annulled by the court.”
As a result Ben Sulayem, who succeeded Jean Todt at the head of the FIA in 2021, was confirmed in the post — subject to the upcoming court verdict.
“Thank you to all our FIA Members for voting in remarkable numbers and placing your trust in me once again. We have overcome many obstacles but here today, together, we are stronger than ever,” Ben Sulayem said in a statement.
‘Cleaning the house’
The FIA said in a statement that Friday’s election was “conducted in line with the FIA’s statutes through a robust and transparent voting process, reflecting the democratic foundations of the federation and the collective voice of its global membership.”
The FIA is responsible for organizing the Formula One and rally world championships, as well as promoting road safety. It has more than 240 clubs across 146 countries, representing around 80 million members.
A former rally driver, Ben Sulayem’s time at the helm of motorsport has been dogged by controversy.
He was taken to task by seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton for using stereotypical language when discussing the use of foul outbursts by drivers on team radios.
Drivers fell out with the FIA over its crackdown on swearing. The guidelines were strengthened in January, triggering an indignant response from drivers.
Controversial fines were later reduced after a backlash from the grid.
Ben Sulayem defended his record last weekend as he looked toward another four years at the helm of motorsport.
“I would say I am looking forward for the next four years,” he said. “Cleaning the house was not easy, getting the right people in the FIA was a challenge. Now I can tell you, it was worth the four years of investment.
“And if you tell me now ‘OK, if you have the power to rewind the four years, what would you do differently?’. Nothing.”
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