Jos Buttler says England must be proud of their efforts at the T20 World Cup, despite a humbling end to their campaign.
England slumped to a 68-run defeat to India on Thursday, as their title defence came to an end.
Buttler's team were skittled out for just 103 in Guyana, as India gained revenge for their 10-wicket loss at the same stage two years ago.
It has been a tournament of ups and downs for England, who scraped through the group stage and had to recover from a loss to South Africa in the Super 8s to reach the last four, but India's quality proved too much to handle.
"India outplayed us, certainly. We let them maybe get 20 or 25 too many on a challenging surface that they played well on. They fully deserved to win," Buttler said.
"With everything that's happened in the tournament, I'm really proud of the group's efforts.
"We can only play who's in front of us. We've had a lot of adversity but we have stuck together really well, we played good cricket in patches but unfortunately came up short when we needed it most."
England won the toss after a rain delay and put India in to bat, though Buttler does not feel that was an error.
"With the rain around, we didn't think the conditions would change and they didn't, they just outplayed us and got a very good score," Buttler said.
" I don't think the toss was the difference between us.
"They've got some fantastic spinners. Our two bowled well but in hindsight, yeah, probably should've bowled Moeen [Ali] in our innings with the way spin was playing.
"But with a good score and their brilliant bowling attack, it was always going to be a tough chase."
India reached the T20 World Cup final in style as they hammered defending champions England by 68 runs on Thursday.
In a rain-delayed semi-final clash at Guayana National Stadium, an England batting collapse, combined with lethal bowling from Kuldeep Yadav (3-19), Axar Patel (3-23) and Jasprit Bumrah (2-13) ensured tournament favourites India will face South Africa in the showpiece match on Saturday.
Captain Rohit Sharma struck 57 and Suryakumar Yadav plundered 47 as India put on 171-7 from their 20 overs.
England's chase started brightly as skipper Jos Buttler reeled off a series of fours in swift succession, yet his stand lasted just 15 deliveries.
And from losing Buttler with the 19th ball of their innings, England's top order capitulated, with Phil Salt, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali and Sam Curran all following their captain in heading for the pavilion within seven overs.
Harry Brook offered more resistance with a spirited 25, but the damage was already done by the time he was sent packing in the 11th over.
Liam Livingstone and Adil Rashid were run out in the space of three deliveries, and though Jofra Archer rallied with a pair of sixes, England's dismal day came to an end when he was pitched leg-before-wicket by Bumrah.
It marked a memorable triumph for India as they gained a measure of revenge for their 10-wicket loss to England at the same stage in 2022, and the Proteas – who thrashed Afghanistan earlier in the day – are all that stand between them and the trophy.
Data Debrief: Recent history means nothing
India had lost their last two T20 World Cup semi-finals, having batted first on each of those occasions too, but they banished those demons in emphatic fashion this time around.
England had won three of their last four such matches, having bowled first in each of those games, but that record did not continue.
Buttler's future is uncertain, though he did at least take a slice of history with him, with his knock of 23 ensuring he became the fourth England player to score 1,000 runs at the T20 World Cup (1,013).
Emerging Ireland are firmly in the driver’s seat at stumps on day three of their second four-day encounter against the West Indies Academy at the Civil Service Cricket Club in Belfast on Thursday.
At stumps on day three, the West Indies Academy were 148-3 off 28 overs, trailing their Irish counterparts by 93 runs in their second innings.
Ackeem Auguste ended the day 70* off 91 balls including 11 fours while opening partner Kadeem Alleyne contributed a run-a-ball 38 including five fours and a six.
Earlier, the hosts were dismissed for 441 in 112.5 overs after starting the day 397-7 off 103 overs.
Fionn Hand, who started day three on 61* ended up being dismissed for 79.
The bulk of the Irish run scoring came from captain Andrew Balbirnie who hit 88 off 134 balls on Wednesday. He was well supported by Andy McBrine who hit 64 and James McCollum who hit 40.
Kelvin Pittman, Nyeem Young, Joshua Bishop and captain Teddy Bishop all took two wickets, each.
The Academy were dismissed for 200 in their first innings after winning the toss and batting first on Tuesday.
Teddy Bishop was the main scorer in that batting effort with 69 while Nyeem Young (29), Jewel Andrew (27) and Ackeem Auguste (26) all got starts.
Full Scores:
West Indies Academy 200 off 56 overs (Teddy Bishop 69, Nyeem Young 29, Jewel Andrew 27, Ackeem Auguste 26, Matthew Humphreys 5-57, Curtis Campher 3-12) & 148-3 off 28 overs (Ackeem Auguste 70*, Kadeem Alleyne 38)
Emerging Ireland 441 all out off 112.5 overs (Andrew Balbirnie 88, Fionn Hand 79, Andy McBrine 64, James McCollum 40, Paul Stirling 32, Teddy Bishop 2-35, Nyeem Young 2-55, Kelvin Pittman 2-65, Joshua Bishop 2-72)
Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced an updated 15-member squad for the three-Test Richards Botham series in England, starting on 10 July 2024 at Lord's.
The squad features one significant change: Kemar Roach has been replaced by St. Kitts & Nevis’ fast bowler, Jeremiah Louis due to Roach's ongoing rehabilitation from a knee injury sustained during the County Championship in England.
Lead Selector the Most Honorable Dr. Desmond Haynes remarked, “Kemar’s skill and experience in English conditions will be missed. However, this opportunity has been long in the making for Jeremiah Louis, he certainly has the skill and experience to make an impact in England.”
The Richards Botham series, named after West Indies legend Sir Vivian Richards and England great Lord Ian Botham, is a historic rivalry dating back to 1928 when the West Indies first toured England.
West Indies Test Squad:
19-year-old fast bowler Isai Thorne will join the squad as a development player.
Team Management Unit:
Head Coach: Andre Coley, Team Manager: Rawl Lewis, Assistant Coaches: Jimmy Adams, Rayon Griffith, Shaun Tait, Physiotherapist: Dr. Denis Byam, Strength & Conditioning Coach: Ronald Rogers, Team Masseuse: Fitzbert Alleyne, Team Analyst: Avenesh Seetram.
The squad have been in a training camp at Tonbridge School and will play a 3-day warm-up match against the England Lions at Beckenham starting on 4 July.
Fixtures for England series:
Wednesday 3 July 2024 3-Day Warm-Up Match Beckenham
Wednesday 10 July 2024 1st Test Match Lord’s
Thursday 18 July 2024 2nd Test Match Trent Bridge
Friday 26 July 2024 3rd Test Match Edgbaston
Aiden Markram praised South Africa's bowlers following their nine-wicket victory over Afghanistan to book their place in the T20 World Cup final.
The Proteas were forced to bowl first, having lost the toss, but reduced their opponents to 28-6 in 6.3 overs as Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada starred.
Afghanistan were bowled out for 56 after just 11.5 overs, and despite the early loss of Quinton de Kock, Reeza Hendricks and Markram steered South Africa into their maiden men's world cup final.
"(We were) fortunate to have lost the toss, I guess. We also would have batted, so we got a bit of luck with regards to that," Markram said at the presentation ceremony. "But the bowlers still had to get it in the right areas.
"They got enough balls in the right areas and made life really tough for the Afghanistan batters. So, credit to them.
"They've been incredible throughout this whole competition for us. They've kept things really simple and sort of assessed conditions and adapted their plans accordingly. And they've been incredible for us so far."
It proved to be third time lucky for South Africa, having lost both of their previous semi-final appearances at the tournament.
"Chuffed to have got it over the line. A lot of our games have been really close," Markram said on his side's narrow wins during this year's tournament.
"And I know there (have been) a lot of people back at home in the early hours of the morning, waking up, and we (have been) giving them a lot of grey hairs.
"So, hopefully, this evening was a little bit more comforting for them."
South Africa reached the T20 World Cup final for the first time by thrashing Afghanistan by nine wickets in Wednesday's first semi-final in Trinidad.
The Proteas suffered heartache on both of their previous semi-final appearances at the tournament, but it was a case of third time lucky this year as Marco Jansen and Kagiso Rabada demolished the Afghanistan top order.
Afghanistan managed just 56 through 11.5 overs on a dreadful pitch, their lowest ever total in T20Is, as Jansen finished with figures of 3-16 and Rabada managed 2-14.
The World Cup's leading run scorer Rahmanullah Gurbaz was removed for a duck just six balls in as he edged Jansen's delivery to Reeza Hendricks, and the score was 28-6 before the end of the seventh over.
No Afghanistan player bettered Azmatullah Omarzai's 10 runs, with spinner Tabraiz Shamsi polishing off the tail with figures of 3-6, trapping both Karim Janat (8) and Noor Ahmad (0) lbw within three 10th-over deliveries.
South Africa's ability to chase down their target was never in doubt, despite Quinton de Kock (5) being bowled full-on by Fazalhaq Farooqi, who took the outright record for most wickets at a single edition of the tournament with his 17th dismissal.
That was the only consolation for Afghanistan, though, as Hendricks (29) and skipper Aiden Markram (23) carried the Proteas home within 8.5 overs.
Data Debrief: Proteas bowlers dominate
Afghanistan entered the semi-finals with the best bowling strike rate (13.5) of any team at the 2024 T20 World Cup, but it was South Africa who excelled with the ball to set up a routine victory.
Afghanistan were skittled for the lowest ever total of any team in a finals match at the tournament, with the Proteas' bowlers combining efficiency with destruction.
They will now face either India or England in Saturday's final, having already beaten the latter once at this tournament.
Rohit Sharma blasted questioning over India's ability to find significant reverse swing as he looked ahead to Thursday's T20 World Cup semi-final against England.
India captain Rohit hit back at former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq after questioning how Rahul Dravid's side found swing in their Super 8s meeting with Australia.
Inzamam had referenced Arshdeep Singh's ability to move the white ball in the 15th over against Australia, suggesting "some serious work was done on the ball".
Speaking at Wednesday's pre-match press conference, Rohit responded: "Wickets are so dry, all teams are getting reverse [swing].
"[You] need to open your mind sometimes. This is not Australia."
After launching a staunch defence of his India team-mates, Rohit urged his side to play the team and not the situation against England.
England thrashed India by 10 wickets in the 2022 World Cup semi-finals of the same competition the last time this pair met.
"We want to treat this as a normal game," Rohit added. "We don't want to be talking about that it is a semi-final.
"We are enjoying each other's company and we need to carry on. It is a knockout game. If you think too much [about it], it doesn't help.
"Honestly not a lot has changed since 2022. We have tried to play with a free mind, T20 and ODIs as well. It all depends on the conditions which have been challenging throughout the tournament here.
"We want to be a smart cricket team. I have kept things simple personally and for the players as well. We have done well with role clarity and rely on the players making good decisions on the field.
"Everyone knows they need to get the job done. We don't need to change from 2022 to 2024."
As for India's line-up, and the potential of fielding four spin bowlers, Rohit insists the pitch will dictate selection matters.
"We will see, assess the conditions and then take a call on four spinners," he continued. "We will see."
Regardless of that decision, Rohit urged his side to keep their cool when it matters.
"It is important to stay cool and calm," the opening batter said. "Staying calm has worked for me over the years. Sometimes you can lose your cool as well.
"I am happy to let you do what you want but if it is at the cost of the team then I wo'’t let it happen. Indian cricket teams are always under pressure. Most of the guys are used to it."
Matthew Mott has urged England to "throw the first punch" when they meet India in the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup on Thursday.
England have had a turbulent tournament so far. After a slow start that saw a washout against Scotland and a defeat to Australia, Mott's side have shown glimpses of their best.
They bounced back from defeat to South Africa in the Super 8s with a superb 10-wicket victory over co-hosts USA to book their place in the semi-final – a repeat of the one in 2022 against India.
But with England's performances growing stronger throughout the tournament, Mott is hopeful his team can come out on the front foot.
"We haven't quite clicked as a whole unit yet," said Mott.
"Bits and pieces have worked at different times, but our 'A-game' is certainly enough to match with India.
"We've had to play some ugly cricket at times. But from here on in, it's time to be the frontrunners.
"It's time to more or less throw the first punch at India and then try to get our nose in front and never give it back."
In the semi-finals two years ago, England cruised to a 10-wicket victory after India, who only managed to get 168-6 as they were caught within 16 overs.
However, they have enjoyed their World Cup campaign so far, which included an impressive 24-run win over Australia in the Super 8s on Monday.
Mott knows they are in for a different test this time around, but he is sure his team are up to the task.
"We're not looking back at all with this group," he added. "One of its big mantras is staying present.
"They are a different team, too, than when we took them on.
"We've had to fight our way through this tournament, and it's something that's galvanised us as a group and will hold us in really good stead for cut-throat matches."
The West Indies Women secured their first victory of the tour in Sri Lanka with a convincing six-wicket win in the second T20 International on Wednesday. The win, achieved via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method, saw the West Indies chase down a revised target of 99 runs with nine balls to spare, leveling the three-match T20I series 1-1.
After rain interrupted play in Hambantota, the West Indies were set a DLS-adjusted target of 99 runs in 15 overs. The chase was anchored by Stafanie Taylor, who scored an unbeaten 28 off 26 balls, ensuring her team stayed ahead of the DLS-par score throughout the innings.
Captain Hayley Matthews and Taylor got the visitors off to an ideal start, putting together a 44-run opening partnership in just 6.5 overs. Matthews, who scored 29 runs, fell to an arm ball from Sachini Nisansala, but her solid start provided a foundation for the West Indies' chase. Taylor then took control, forming a crucial 18-ball 24-run second-wicket partnership with Shemaine Campbelle, who contributed a quickfire 16 off 13 balls.
Despite the subsequent dismissals of Campbelle, Qiana Joseph, and Chedean Nation, the required run rate remained manageable, thanks to the positive approach of the West Indies batters. Aaliyah Alleyne sealed the victory with three boundaries off Kavisha Dilhari in the penultimate over, extinguishing any hopes of a Sri Lankan comeback.
Earlier in the match, Afy Fletcher played a pivotal role in restricting Sri Lanka to 89 for 4 in 15.2 overs before rain halted their innings. Fletcher's impressive figures of 4 for 23 included crucial wickets that derailed the hosts' innings. Chamari Athapaththu and Vishmi Gunaratne had given Sri Lanka a steady start with a 44-run opening partnership, but their efforts came at a conservative pace, just under a run a ball.
Fletcher's breakthrough came when she spun one past Athapaththu, disturbing her stumps and halting her at 26 runs. Gunaratne, who labored for 24 runs off 35 balls, was trapped lbw by a Fletcher googly in the 14th over. Fletcher's earlier dismissals of Imesha Dulani, who was bowled while attempting a sweep, and Harshitha Samarawickrama, who top-edged a delivery, had already put Sri Lanka on the back foot.
Kavisha Dilhari showed some promise of a late counterattack, scoring 14 not out off just six balls, including two boundaries, but the rain brought an abrupt end to Sri Lanka's innings, leaving them with an incomplete total.
With this victory, the West Indies Women not only leveled the series but also gained crucial momentum heading into the final T20I.
South Africa coach Rob Walter says his players will not feel the burden of near misses in the past as they prepare for their T20 World Cup semi-final against Afghanistan.
The Proteas withstood a nervy finish to get a three-wicket victory over co-hosts West Indies in Antigua, maintaining their perfect run at the tournament with seven wins from seven so far.
South Africa have never made it past the semi-final stage of the T20 World Cup, with this due to be their third such appearance.
This time around, they have been on the right side of tight wins, and Walter is keen to ease any pressure from past results that could hinder the team.
"The near misses in the past, they belong to the people who missed them," Walter said. "To be honest, this team is a different team.
"We own whatever is ours to own. And so, our nearest reflection point is this tournament where we've managed to get over the line. So that's what we think about.
"I think there's always an energy that you can feel that's tangible when it comes to a semi-final.
"There'll be a mixture of emotions which is with anxiety, but excitement and I think anyone in any sport, if they get to this phase of a competition, feels that. And so really, it's just acknowledging that and accepting it and then just understanding what you'll do with that.
"We still want to play our best cricket in the key moments of the game."
Moeen Ali acknowledged England will "have to be at our best" to beat India when they lock horns in the T20 World Cup semi-finals on Thursday.
The reigning champions have recovered from a slow start to their total defence to reach their fourth successive semi-final in the competition.
England have subsequently set up a rematch of their showdown with India at this stage of the 2022 competition, when Jos Buttler and Alex Hales inspired England to a 10-wicket victory with four overs to spare.
Two years later, they face an India side full of momentum having won all six of their completed matches, while eliminating 50-over world champions Australia with a 24-run win on Monday.
And Moeen knows England cannot afford to be off the pace in Guyana if they are to replicate their 2022 exploits.
"They looked very, very strong, like they did in the last World Cup," he said. "They're just a brilliant side. They've got everything covered, so we're going to have to be at our best to beat them. I'm looking forward to it.
"It's a great challenge, similar to the last time we played them in the semi-final in Australia. It's going to be a challenge, and we're going to have to plan and play really well."
Remembering that 2022 semi-final, Moeen added: "We were unbelievable with the bat. We set the game up on that wicket with the ball. Even when they got away from us a little bit at the end, it was a bit late. That was a great day, and a great performance."
Liam Livingstone is hopeful England are coming good at the perfect time ahead of their T20 World Cup semi-final against India, having grown into the tournament after a slow start.
The defending champions almost succumbed to a humiliating group-stage exit, with only old rivals Australia keeping them in with a dramatic victory over Scotland.
Having finished second in Group B, Jos Buttler's team did likewise in Group 2 at the Super-8 stage, a resounding victory over the United States sending them through at West Indies' expense.
England now have a chance to reach their fourth T20 World Cup final and their third in the last four editions, while a third triumph at the tournament would take them clear of the Windies for the outright record.
All-rounder Livingstone says England have a chance to prove tournaments are not about how you start, but how you finish.
"In tournament cricket, sometimes it is better to sneak up and nick it at the end," said Livingstone. "Hopefully that is the way we will go.
"A lot of lads have been contributing in the last few games which should stand us in good stead going forward. We've hopefully got two more massive games."
Livingstone sustained a torso injury while batting against Namibia in the group stage but has shrugged that problem off to play all of England's matches.
He has yet to truly hit top form, taking two wickets and scoring 13 and 33 in his two innings with the bat in the middle order, but he is confident a big finish is coming.
"As a kid I always wanted to be involved, that's the reason I started bowling a few years back," he said.
"So batting at seven and maybe bowling one over, that's where the hard bit comes as you want to be involved.
"Thankfully the last two games I struck the ball well against South Africa and bowled pretty well [against the USA], so I feel I'm in a good place."
Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan hopes the team's "dream" run to the T20 World Cup semi-finals will serve as inspiration to young people across the country.
Afghanistan will face South Africa in their first World Cup semi-final on Wednesday after edging out Australia to escape the Super 8s with an eight-run win over Bangladesh.
This is Afghanistan's seventh participation at the T20 World Cup, with the first three all ending in the group stage before they reached the Super 10s in 2016 and the Super 12s in 2021 and 2022.
Speaking after finishing with figures of 4-23 in Monday's dramatic, rain-affected win over Bangladesh, Rashid said: "I think the semi-final is going to be a massive, massive inspiration for the youngsters back home in Afghanistan.
"We have done it at under-19 level, but at this level we haven't done that. Even the Super 8s was the first time for us. It's an unbelievable feeling.
"It's like a dream for us. It's all about the way we had started the tournament. The belief came when we beat New Zealand [in the second group match].
"I don't have any words to describe my feelings. Definitely back home everyone is so, so happy about this."
While Afghanistan will go into the semi-finals as underdogs, Rashid sees no reason why they cannot go even further.
"We are capable, as long we keep things very simple, and I think in the whole competition so far we kept things simple," he said.
"There were some tough times but we didn't let ourselves down and we always tried to come back stronger."
Afghanistan reached the T20 World Cup semi-finals for the first time and eliminated Australia from the tournament with a dramatic eight-run win over Bangladesh.
Afghanistan entered the final game of the Super 8s requiring a victory to join England, India and South Africa in the last four, while Bangladesh themselves could still qualify via net run-rate with a handsome win.
Both Bangladesh and Australia might have been positive regarding their prospects when Afghanistan reached just 115 in their innings.
Even Rahmanullah Gurbaz's 43 came off 55 balls as they made slow progress, before the opener handed Soumya Sarkar a simple catch off a 17th-over delivery from Rishad Hossain, who impressed with figures of 3-26.
It was the Bangladesh innings that brought the drama, though.
Repeated rain stoppages meant they were left chasing a series of revised targets, and the losses of Najmul Hossain Shanto (5) and Shakib Al Hasan on back-to-back third-over balls, the latter for a golden duck, made their chances of qualification unlikely.
However, they could still send Australia through with any victory, and opener Litton Das did his best to do so, making an unbeaten 54 as wickets tumbled around him.
With Bangladesh nine runs from victory but with just one wicket remaining in the 18th over, it was Naveen-ul-Haq who sealed Afghanistan's place in the last four.
He joined captain Rashid Khan on four dismissals by trapping Mustafizur Rahman lbw, ensuring Afghanistan will face South Africa in a historic semi-final in Trinidad on Thursday.
Data Debrief: Farooqi earns a slice of history
While Afghanistan captain Khan (4-23) and Naveen (4-26) hogged the headlines on a historic day for the team, team-mate Fazalhaq Farooqi also had an outing to remember. He trapped Tanzid Hasan lbw for the first wicket of the Bangladesh innings, his 16th wicket at this year's tournament.
That drew him level with Sri Lanka's PW Hasaranga (in 2022) for the most wickets in a single edition of the T20 World Cup, and he will look to take the record outright against South Africa later this week.
Rohit Sharma says he was "backing himself" for a big game after inspiring India to the win over Australia that saw them into the T20 World Cup semi-finals on Monday.
Sharma became India's top scorer in T20Is, with his knock of 92 taking him to 4165, leapfrogging Virat Kohli's record of 4103.
After a strong batting performance, India smothered what looked like a spirited chase by Australia to win by 24 runs and set up a meeting with England in the next round.
Sharma admitted he was confident heading into the match and backed himself to outsmart Australia’s bowlers.
That's what I have to do at the top of the order, see what the bowlers are trying to do and play accordingly," Sharma said.
"There was a strong breeze and I needed to be smart. I was backing myself to do that.
"You've got to factor in the breeze and the bowlers are smart as well. They won't bowl into the wind, and you can't be one-dimensional.
"You have to access all sides of the field. It's been a good wicket and that's something you want to do as a batter, and you want to back yourself as a batter to play those shots.
"Getting the century didn't matter. I wanted to bat with the same tempo throughout and put the bowlers under pressure.
"You want to make big scores, yes. But you also want the bowlers to wonder where the next shot is going to come from."
Meanwhile, Australia's World Cup fate is now out of their own hands.
If Afghanistan beat Bangladesh in the later game, Australia will be knocked out, though even a big Bangladesh win would knock them out on net run rate.
"Yeah, it's so disappointing," Mitchell Marsh said. "We know we still have a chance to make the semis but today, India got the better of us.
"Over 40 overs there are a lot of small moments that you can think you could have done things better. But they got off to a flyer. Rohit Sharma is very hard to stop when he's in that mode. He deserves all the credit for that.
"We knew that if we kept up with 10 an over for as long as possible, we were in the game. But India have some class bowlers, and they were too good for us today.
"Come on Bangladesh!"
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