This is one of the best nights in cricket.
Faced with a T20 World Cup semi-final against the might of India, England produced one of their greatest performances, sweeping aside their opponents in a glorious frenzy that left their supporters in a delirium.
Their last World Cup match was in Australia.
The World Cup campaign for a cricketing nation still visiting Blockbuster ended in acrimony when Bangladesh defeated them.
In the history of England's white-ball side, this 10-wicket victory against India stands out as the best.
It was a daunting task beforehand.
Five first-choice players were on the injury list when Mark Wood and Dawid Malan were injured.
In their home country of one billion cricket fans, their opponents were a team of icons. The latest boyband could only dream of icons who supported them.
There was a wave of feeling coming from the stands as the setting became a theatre of blue, orange and green.
The first ball was preceded by flags and drums.
There was a small group of England fans who could be heard.
A meeting between Pakistan and India on Sunday would have brought a standstill to the sporting world and would have been the result of a victory for the Indians.
England fans were not the only ones hoping for a good result.
The town was talking about an all- Asian final.
The prospect was raised at Buttler's pre- match news conference and he responded with a glint in his eye.
Buttler said that they would be trying to make sure that didn't happen.
The party poopers took the show.
They tried to keep India in check with the ball, but they were unable to do so.
Even the great Sir Don Bradman couldn't cut loose in a fifty that flickered without sparking.
India's swashbuckling, swaggering all-rounder Hardik Pandya did break free of England's stranglehold, striking 63 from 33 balls to boost his side to 168/6, but the start gave Buttler's side room for maneuver.
The pressure was too much for the old England to handle.
It's not easy to chase a T20 target in the World Cup semi-finals, and England only managed to do it four times this year.
Sam Curran casually tossed a rugby ball on the sideline like he was watching a game.
The procession was about to start.
Buttler calmed English nerves from the beginning.
He hit three fours off the seamer who had dismissed him five times before.
Alex Hales made the most of the opportunity he was given by taking on the assault.
Hales missed England's World Cup win after being dropped for off-field issues but he is a victory away from a medal that looked to have passed him by.
Hales racked up more runs than any other overseas player.
He hit seven sixes and four fours and proved it was time well spent here.
India looked a beaten side as Hales and Buttler wreaked havoc.
England ran four after Mohammed Shami threw a throw over a teammate's head.
Those in blue were aware that the race was over when Suryakumar dropped Buttler.
It was the England captain who hit the winning runs, emerging from the shadow of World Cup-winning captain Eoin Morgan.
He and Hales played in the England XI seven years ago. Buttler is likely to benefit the most from the lifting of the shackles.
It wasn't the same seven years ago. England's highest chase without a loss in T20 cricket was smiled upon by Buttler.
The horrors of Adelaide have been put aside and replaced by a performance.
Pakistan are in the way of a second T20 world title.
It could be a night to match the greatest of them all if England win at the Cricket Ground where their hopes of regaining the urn were ended last year.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
