Suryakumar Yadav smashed a fine half-century before India's bowlers slammed the brakes on Afghanistan's flamboyant shot-makers to romp to a 47-run win in the T20 World Cup on Thursday.

Suryakumar's 53 was his 19th fifty in the format and helped India post a challenging 181-8 in their second round Super Eights opener.

What coach Chandika Hathurusingha said at the press conference on Wednesday may not reflect the team’s overall sentiment, but it remains to be seen whether it can ignite the passion required for the task ahead.

Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan broke the jinx with the ball when he picked up two wickets in consecutive deliveries to seal the game for his side against Nepal in St. Vincent on Monday after going wicketless in the Tigers’ first three matches in the ongoing T20 World Cup.

“Pollard's brought a lot to the group but I'd say that the most valuable thing I've taken so far (from him) is constructing that run chase,” Salt told the reporters. “We've spoken a lot about taking eights from one side to take twelves from the other and that's 200 [runs].”

Australia captain Mitchell Marsh says he is ready to bowl in the Super Eight phase of the T20 World Cup after a gradual recovery from a hamstring strain.

Kane Williamson will opt out of a handful of internationals in January to take up a contract in South Africa's Twenty20 league but plans to keep playing for New Zealand for as long as he can, the batsman said on Thursday.

USA coach Stuart Law declared himself once again a proud coach, despite a Super Eights loss to South Africa in the ongoing T20 World Cup on Wednesday.

It was an easy presumption to put Bangladesh’s bowling as their main weapon ahead of the T20 World Cup, especially since the batters have provided very little to be excited about in recent times.

In preparation for their opening Super Eight match of the T20 World Cup against Australia tomorrow at 6.30am (Bangladesh Time), Najmul Hossain Shanto-led Bangladesh team practiced at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

Player of the Match Salt effectively sealed victory after cutting loose in the 16th over, hammering 30 runs off West Indies bowler Romario Shepherd with an exhibition of power-hitting. The win marked an emphatic return to form for England, who laboured through the first round group phase and flirted with elimination at one stage.

Opening batsman Salt smashed seven fours and five sixes during a superb 47-ball knock at the Daren Sammy National Stadium as England made a flying start to the second round of the tournament.

India were unbeaten in the initial pool phase as they advanced into a Super Eights featuring two groups of four. Afghanistan, however, have also justified their billing as potential semi-finalists.

Bangladesh take on Australia in their first T20 World Cup Super 8 fixture at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Friday.

Bangladesh’s bowling plans have worked out magnificently, but the cue now begins for the batters to share the burden of responsibility.

The Proteas piled up 194-4 off their 20 overs after being put into bat.

The group stage of the 20-team tournament, especially its U.S. leg, proved a low-scoring affair with no batter managing to score a hundred.

The USA are the surprise package of the tournament, qualifying for this stage ahead of Pakistan, Ireland and Canada, but they’ll have their work cut out in a group that contains three of the most explosive batting sides in the game – defending champions England, co-hosts West Indies, and the highly-fancied South Africa.

With the stage set for an exciting Super Eights phase of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, the two groups exhibit the potential for intense competition to secure the semi-final berths. In Group 1, India, Afghanistan and Bangladesh will be joined by the Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 champions, Australia, with each team set to go all out for the top two spots on the group table. Let’s dive deeper into what Group 1 has to offer in the second round of the tournament.

Bangladesh will kickstart the Super Eight stage against favourite Australia on Friday at 6.30am (Bangladesh Time).