Jos Buttler and Alex Hales put on a batting exhibition as England annihilated India by 10 wickets in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup 2022 at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday (November 10).Chasing 169 to win, the Three Lions got over the line without breaking a sweat. The duo of Buttler and Hales took the Indian bowling attack to the cleaners, sharing an unbeaten 170-run stand to overhaul the target with four overs to spare.
Speaking after the game, skipper Jos Buttler pointed to England’s experience of playing in front of enthusiastic Indian Premier League (IPL) crowds as big factor in his team’s emphatic semi-final win. During England’s chase, India all-rounder Hardik Pandya and star batter Virat Kohli asked the crowd to make noise in the hope of using atmosphere to build pressure but it backfired this time around.“If he (Pandya) goes to try and get the crowd behind you, that's telling you that you're doing well. I think we have quite a lot of IPL experience in our team, as well, which means situations like tonight don't surprise you,” Buttler said in the post-match press conference.
“We've played in India a lot, understand the noise that comes with the fans of Indian cricket, especially when certain guys walk onto the field or when they're batting and the impact they can have.“But having had so much experience as a team playing in the IPL, I don't think it's as much of a factor anymore.”Besides IPL, the English players also have the experience of playing the Big Bash League. The England captain said Hales’ experience of playing the BBL at Australia was visible in the semi final knock. England set up a clash with Pakistan in the final at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground on Sunday (November 13).
