#Semi-Final Preview: #India Eye Revenge Against Defending Champions #England

India versus England in the Men’s T20 World Cup semi-final is set to be a historic showdown. The last semi-final encounter between these two teams was just 19 months ago in Adelaide, where a dominant opening partnership between Jos Buttler and Alex Hales led England to a convincing victory, prompting a strategic overhaul in India's T20 approach.

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This time, India enters the semi-final with more batting firepower, versatile middle-order options, and a varied attack. However, defeating the defending champions will be no easy task, especially with Buttler and his new opening partner Phil Salt in exceptional form.

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England stands on the brink of becoming the first men's team to retain a T20 World Cup. On the other hand, India, having not won this tournament since its inception in 2007, is seeking its first World Cup victory in any format since 2011.

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The #Venue

The Guyana National Stadium, with a capacity of 20,000, is located on the outskirts of Georgetown near the Demerara River and a few kilometers from the coast. This semi-final will be the sixth and final game held at this venue during the tournament. Spinners have been effective here, but the pitch has also offered assistance to quick bowlers, with the highest score being Afghanistan's 183/5 against Uganda.

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How They Got #Here

India has dominated their matches, with the only points dropped due to an abandoned game against Canada in a rain-soaked Lauderhill. Victories over Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Australia secured their spot in the knockout stages as the winners of Group 1 in the Super Eight.

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England's journey has been more challenging. After a rained-off match against Scotland and an early loss to Australia, they needed significant wins and external favors to reach the Super Eights. They managed to qualify ahead of Scotland on Net Run Rate. In the Super Eight, a loss to South Africa put them under pressure, but a crucial win against hosts West Indies and a decisive victory over the USA ensured their semi-final spot, finishing second in their group.

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The #Squads

India Squad: ?Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj.

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England Squad: Jos Buttler (c), Moeen Ali, Jofra Archer, Jonathan Bairstow, Harry Brook, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Chris Jordan, Liam Livingstone, Adil Rashid, Phil Salt, Reece Topley, Mark Wood.

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