India's dreams of a World Twenty20 title on home soil were shattered on Thursday after the West Indies stunned the hosts by seven wickets to reach the final.
West Indies batsman Lendl Simmons plays a shot during the World T20
cricket tournament semi-final match against India at The Wankhede
Cricket Stadium in Mumbai. (AFP/Punit Paranjpe)
MUMBAI: India's dreams of a World Twenty20 title on home
soil were shattered on Thursday (Mar 31) after the West Indies stunned
the hosts by seven wickets to reach the final.
Lendl Simmons fired an explosive 82 off 51 balls as the Windies broke
Indian hearts in the semi-final clash at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium with
just two balls to spare and will now face England in Sunday's final in
Kolkata.
The West Indies went into the last over needing eight to win
and Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni handed the ball to talisman
Virat Kohli, who earlier scored an unbeaten 89.
Simmons grabbed a single off the first ball before Andre
Russell smashed a four and six as the Windies ended on 196 for three
after India made 192 for two. Simmons hit seven fours and five sixes
while opener Johnson Charles notched 52, including seven fours and two
sixes.
It was not meant to be that way for India after Chris
Gayle's wicket was taken early for just five runs but the hosts were
left to rue a no-ball at a crucial stage.
Hardik Pandya thought he had taken Simmons in the 15th over when he
was caught by Ravichandran Ashwin but the umpire ruled that it was a no
ball and the Windies star made the most of his luck as he stepped on the
accelerator.Simmons, who was a late replacement for the injured Andre Fletcher, was given valuable support by Russell who hit an unbeaten 43 off 20 balls, including four sixes as the West Indies made a dash for the finishing line.
Ashwin endured some brutal punishment at the hands of the
West Indies batsmen, going for 20 runs in his two overs. His fellow
spinner Ravindra Jadeja was also hit around the ground, conceding 48
runs in his wicketless four-over spell.
The Indian bowlers at times had trouble getting any grip in the heavy dew at the Wankhede.
Kohli had earlier hit 11 fours and one six in his 47-ball
knock as India set a target of 193, regarded as a below par score on a
pitch which has seen a feast of runs during the tournament.
Kohli injected much-needed life into the hosts' innings after a slow start from openers Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane.
Sharma hit three fours and three sixes in his 31-ball 43
while Rahane took 35 deliveries to reach 40, scoring only two fours and
no sixes.
Kohli, who entered the fray in the eighth over after Sharma
was bowled lbw by Samuel Badree, upped the tempo, to the delight of a
packed crowd at the 33,000-seater stadium.
The defeat could spell the end of Dhoni's reign as India's
captain in short form cricket although there was no immediate
announcement from the 34-year-old about his future.
The West Indies will take on England at Eden Gardens in
Kolkata on Sunday after Eoin Morgan's side defeated New Zealand, also by
seven wickets, on Wednesday.
- AFP/de
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