West Indies in T20 World Cup finals, upset India by 7 wickets


Mumbai, Mar 31 (Agencies): West Indies defeated India by seven wickets in the second semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium here on Thursday to enter the final of the World Twenty20 cricket tournament.

Batting first, India posted a competitive total of 192/2 in 20 overs, thanks to Virat Kohli's 89.

In reply, star batsmen Lendl Simmons and Johnson Charles struck quickfire half-centuries as Windies chased down the score, posting 196/3 in 19.4 overs.

Virat Kohli produced yet another masterclass as he smashed an unbeaten 47-ball 89 to guide India to a challenging 192 for two.

Kohli, who masterminded India's entry into the semifinals with a brilliant 82 not out against Australia at Mohali in their last Super 10 game, was in his element as he struck 11 fours and a six to help India take advantage of a fine start given by Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane.

India, sent into bat, were off to a sound beginning as their new opening combination of Sharma (43 in 31 balls) and Rahane (40 in 35 balls) put on 62 runs.

Rahane and Kohli then added 66 runs for the second wicket before the latter and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (15 not out) put on 64 in 27 balls for the unfinished third wicket to give the West Indies a challenging total to chase.

Sharma, who came into the game with scores of 5, 10, 18 and 12 in the Super 10 phase, exploded into action after playing out a couple of quiet overs.

He struck medium pacer Carlos Brathwaite over long-on for a six, the first boundary of the match, and then cover-drove and swept Sulieman Benn for successive fours.

The last over of power play brought out the best in terms of runs and power-hitting from the Mumbai batsman, raising the first half century partnership for the opening wicket in the process, by carting Andre Russell for sixes off successive deliveries.

He later pulled the West Indian pacer for a four too as 20 runs came in the over and the total rocketed to 55 at the end of power play.

Sharma departed as he was looking good for his first fifty of event and his first in last eight T20 Internationals, trapped leg before after being unable to read Samuel Badree's googly. His innings included 3 sixes and as many fours.

A huge ovation from the packed stadium, like what retired great Sachin Tendulkar – seated inside the stadium - used to receive, greeted in-form batsman Kohli when he walked in.

He could have been run-out twice off the same ball in the 9th over when setting off for a non-existent single. But the throw by wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdhin first and then by bowler Dwayne Bravo as the batsman tried to scamper back to the crease missed the stumps at the striker's end.

Later, he top edged to the third man fence in the same over before settling down to his normal attractive play.

At the half-way stage of the innings, India's score had advanced to 86 for one, with Rahane, given his first game in the tournament and his 18th overall, having upped his gear a bit after a sedate start.

Rahane, who found gaps in the field with ease, and Kohli ran quick singles and twos to put on a brisk second-wicket stand, raising the 100 of the innings in 12.2 overs against a largely disciplined Windies bowling attack backed up by good fielding till the last four overs.

Kohli later sliced a drive in between two fielders stationed at backward point for a four off Brathwaite as the score inched to 127 for one after 15.

Rahane was caught at deep mid-wicket just inside the rope by Bravo as he pulled a short ball from Russell in the next over, bringing together Kohli and captain Dhoni after the second wicket pair had raised 66 runs in 50 balls.

After Dhoni played an innovative paddle shot off Brathwaite, Kohli pulled the bowler for a four and then chipped for two runs to complete his third fifty of the tournament in 43 balls. Brathwaite gave away 17 runs in the 17th over at the end of which India were 150 for two.

Kohli stepped up the ante in the 19th over when he clobbered Brathwaite for a six and two fours as the last four overs produced 59 runs. The unfinished partnership between Kohli and Dhoni produced 64 runs in 27 balls.

Earlier, India made two changes to the team that defeated Australia, bringing in Manish Pandey for injured Yuvraj Singh, and Rahane for out-of-form opener Shikhar Dhawan.

West Indies too made two changes to the XI that lost their last Super 10 game to Afghanistan at Nagpur, bringing in Chris Gayle for Evin Lewis, and Lendl Simmons for the injured Andre Fletcher.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Dr Kusuma Kumari Chitti, kodyadka

    Fri, Apr 01 2016

    Sad that India lost despite a total of 192. I feel the bowlers need to be blamed. A million hopes crashed. Feeling very low and sad. I think we need to have better bowling. Anyway in the end well played West Indies!

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Fri, Apr 01 2016

    Anushka was in Mumbai but ...

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Santosh,K, Mangalore

    Thu, Mar 31 2016

    No ball,
    No ball,
    April fool,

    DisAgree Agree Reply Report Abuse


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