Super sonic India finally playing modern T20…numbers back the claim

Moving on from their 2022 T20 World Cup semifinal debacle against England, Rohit Sharma and India emphasised the need to raise the scoring rates in white-ball cricket. The work began at the ODI World Cup last year when Rohit single-handedly pulled off a radical turnaround, smashing 597 runs at a whopping 125.94 strike rate.

Translating it into T20Is required a certain level of mending in personnel and methods. India have had a go at the same after a torpid run with the bat in New York during the T20 World Cup group stage, an epidemic that stifled batters of all teams on the uneven drop-in pitches.

The collective charge

Since the Super 8s began in the Caribbean, India have consistently attempted to maintain high scoring rates amidst a regular crop of dismissals. India are the only side to have registered three 180-plus scores in the Super 8s, recording the most runs (526) with just three individual fifties. The newfound mantra was crucial as India batted first in all three matches against contrasting bowling attacks in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Australia. The Men in Blue effectively surpassed the average first-innings score at all three venues in St Lucia, North Sound and Barbados with an appreciable margin of nearly 20 to 40 runs.

This has happened despite the top-order failing to strike heavily in unison, with the best opening stand between Rohit and Virat Kohli reading only 39.

In Super 8 games, only once has an Indian batter faced more than 30 deliveries. The one exception was Rohit’s brutal attack on the Aussies where he compiled a 41-ball 92 – his second-quickest T20I fifty-plus score that had a 224.39 strike rate.

Situational heroes have emerged with the bat as Rohit, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya aced match-winning knocks in different matches with able cameos around them. Consequently, India’s top-six batters have collectively recorded the best batting strike rate – 155.62 – among the lineups of all teams in the Super 8s, with England a close second at 152.17.

Sixes galore

India’s Rishabh Pant plays a shot against Ireland during an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup cricket match at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in Westbury, New York. (AP | PTI)

India have redefined their power-hitting this World Cup, levelling up their game with 35 sixes in the Super 8s – the most among all eight teams. Surprisingly, the 46 sixes in this edition are India’s best haul since the inaugural 2007 edition when they lifted the crown. Only West Indies (2012 and 2024) and Australia (2010 and 2024) have struck more maximums in an edition.

In two successive games against Bangladesh and Australia, India struck 13 and 15 sixes, respectively, bettering their previous best of 10 against England back in 2007.

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The Pandya factor: Even though he entered the tournament with a massive slump in his striking abilities, Hardik has rekindled his attacking self, particularly at the death for India. Batting predominantly at six, Hardik has recorded the second-most runs in the slog overs (68 with a 188.80 strike rate), making up nearly 60 per cent of his contribution with the bat this edition. Coupled with Hardik’s aggression, India have maintained a healthy 10.09 run rate at the death – the best among the semifinalists.

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