T20 World Cup: Key Moments: How India sunk England in semis

IMAGE: Rohit Sharma's aggressive half-century proved crucial in helping India post a competitive total of 171 in their 20 overs against England in the first semi-final on Thursday. Photograph: ANI

A dominant India ended England's title defence by handing them a 68-run thumping in the second semi-final of the T20 World Cup on Thursday and secure their place in the final against South Africa.

Scorecard

Put into bat in the rain-hit match, India posted a strong 171/7 with skipper Rohit Sharma (57) and Suryakumar Yadav (47) scoring bulk of the runs on a slow track at the Providence Stadium in Guyana.

The 2007 champions then returned to bundle out England for 103 inside 17 overs with their spin duo of Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav wreaking havoc with the turning ball.

IMAGE: Rohit Sharma set the tone for India as he went on the attack in the early overs, smashing his way to 57 from 39 balls -- his second successive fifty. Photograph: ANI

It will be a clash of the tournament's two unbeaten sides when India lock horns with South Africa in Bridgetown on Saturday.

"It's very satisfying to win this game," an elated Rohit, playing potentially his last T20 World Cup, said.

"We worked really hard as a unit. To win like that was a great effort from everybody."

IMAGE: Rohit Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav put on 73 runs from 50 balls for the third wicket to give India the momentum in the middle overs on a difficult pitch in Guyana. Photograph: ANI

Rain and a wet outfield delayed start of the match and England captain Jos Buttler elected to field after winning the toss.

India managed 46 runs from the six Powerplay overs and it cost them the wickets of Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant.

IMAGE: Suryakumar Yadav made a vital contribution, stroking 47 from 36 balls, with two sixes and four boundaries. Photograph: ANI

Rohit began with a couple of streaky shots but soon grew in confidence.

Suryakumar, at the other end, scooped Chris Jordan over fine leg in what has been his trademark shot for a six before rain stopped play with India 65/2 in eight overs.

IMAGE: Axar Patel celebrates with team-mates after taking the wicket of England captain Jos Buttler. Photograph: ANI

Once play resumed more than an hour later, Rohit reached his 36-ball fifty with a six, which also brought up India's 100 in the 13th over.

Adil Rashid bowled Rohit and Jofra Archer denied Suryakumar a fifty to temporarily peg back India.

IMAGE: Jasprit Bumrah was once again superb with the ball, as he dismissed Philip Salt to rock England in the Powerplay. Photograph: ANI

Jordan (3/37) dismissed Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube with successive deliveries but India still managed to post a competitive total.

England began briskly but were reeling at 49/5 after a top order meltdown triggered by Axar (3/23).

IMAGE: Kuldeep Yadav continued his excellent form in the World Cup, taking 3/19 in four overs to dismantle the England middle and lower order. Photograph: ANI

The left-arm spinner dismissed Buttler (23) with his first ball and removed Jonny Bairstow for a duck in his next over.

In between, Phil Salt had his leg stump pegged back by Jasprit Bumrah.

IMAGE: Axar Patel was named the man of the match as he took 3/23, including the key wickets of Buttler, Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow. Photograph: ANI

Player-of-the-match Axar returned to dismiss Moeen Ali stumped before fellow spinner Kuldeep (3/19) twisted the knife on a slow pitch where the ball occasionally kept low.

The left-arm wrist spinner trapped both Sam Curran and Jordan and clean bowled Harry Brook (25) to put India firmly in charge.

IMAGE: Axar Patel and Suryakumar Yadav celebrate winning the semi-final. Photograph: ANI

"India outplayed us, certainly," Buttler said.

"We let them maybe get 20-25 too many on a challenging surface that they played well on. They fully deserved to win."