T20 World Cup: England cruise past India to set up final date with Pakistan

England strode past India by 10 wickets in the semifinal of the T20 World Cup at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday to set up a final date with Pakistan.

Openers Alex Hales and Jos Buttler turned it on with some astonishing batsmanship by clubbing unbeaten half-centuries.

Chasing a target of 169, Hales and Buttler were simply brilliant as England reached home in 16 overs.

Hales conjured a sumptuous unbeaten 86 from just 47 deliveries that was peppered with a whopping seven sixes and four boundaries, while Buttler smashed an unbeaten 80 from 49 balls with nine fours and three sixes.

England will meet Pakistan, who beat New Zealand in the first semifinal, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Sunday's final.

India, who topped Group 2 with four wins in five matches, were searching for their first global title since the 2013 Champion Trophy triumph. They won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. But it was not to be as they were beaten by a clinical England.

Earlier, Hardik Pandya smashed 63 off 33 balls to power India to a par 168-6.

Virat Kohli made 50, his fourth half-century of the tournament, and put on key partnerships including a 61-run fourth-wicket stand with Pandya, who tore into the opposition attack in the final overs.

England bowlers were disciplined with Chris Jordan picking three wickets but Pandya broke loose with a flurry of boundaries and smashed left-arm quick Sam Curran for 20 runs in the 19th over.

England, who had two forced changes after Dawid Malan and Mark Wood missed out due to injuries, invited India to bat and KL Rahul began with a cracking boundary off Ben Stokes.

Seamer Chris Woakes had Rahul caught behind off a rising delivery for five.

Skipper Rohit Sharma hit four boundaries after a scratchy start as he and Kohli attempted to rebuild but Jordan, in the side for Wood, broke through in his first over.

Jordan ended a 43-run partnership when Sharma mistimed to wide long-on with the score on 57 and India reached the halfway point at 62-2 off 10 overs.

Suryakumar Yadav smashed a six and four off Stokes but soon fell to Adil Rashid's leg-spin for 14.

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