World T20, India vs West Indies as it happened: Simmons, Russell power Windies to a thrilling win

Kudos to Kohli for his bowling effort. Tried to win the game for #IND with the ball as well https://t.co/2iLVX5iiEp pic.twitter.com/Zokpm9Ve97

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) March 31, 2016

Here's the winning captain, @darrensammy88 - he's on his way to the #WT20 final! #INDvWI pic.twitter.com/iiMNR1X5ok

— ICC (@ICC) March 31, 2016

Darrren Sammy: I kept telling the boys they were 10 runs short. I was just praying we win the toss. We were inspired by the Under-19 boys, the ladies reached the final earlier. We still feel it’s us — the players, the coaching staff against the rest of the world.

MS Dhoni: Was a bad toss to lose, given the start time was 7. The dew set in just at the start of the second innings. Our spinners have a problem bowling with the dead ball. Disappointed with the no-balls but we made a game out of it, boys gave it all. It’s a demanding format.

IMO this has been the best @ICC World tournament .. Short,Sharp,Quality,Drama with incredible players on show ... Bloody love T20 #ICCWT20

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) March 31, 2016

This is where the match was decided, at the end of the day.

West Indies consumed 47 dot balls as against 26 by India, but they hit 20 fours and 11 sixes as against 17 and 4 by India.#IndvsWI #WT20

— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) March 31, 2016

For all the talk of West Indies decline, they could be proper powerhouses in the future, with the game shifting away from Test cricket

— Karthik Lakshmanan (@lk_karthik) March 31, 2016

Brute force again — Russell seals this match? What a hit for four. 8 runs needed. 

After 19 overs,West Indies 185/3 ( Lendl Simmons 81 , Andre Russell 33)

What did Lendl Simmons have for breakfast today!!? Who did Lendl Simmons meet on his way to the ground?! After three dot balls to begin with, Simmons skies one to wide long on where JAdeja pulls one back from the line and Kohli completes a relay catch– But JADEJA had stepped on the rope! SIX! Then a four off the last ball, another edge that goes past third man,

After 18 overs, West Indies 173/3 ( Lendl Simmons 80 , Andre Russell 22)

After 17 overs,West Indies 161/3 ( Lendl Simmons 69 , Andre Russell 22)

Last roll of the dice for Dhoni. Nehra for his last over and then golden oldie concedes 10 — which is still less than the required rate. It would have been much better has Russell not powered a mishit comfortably over long-on. What power!

But amid all the carnage, What a spell from Nehra!

9.5/over match. Nehraji 4-0-24-1.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 31, 2016

After 16 overs,West Indies 151/3 ( Lendl Simmons 67 , Andre Russell 14)

The Mumbai Indians man has completely turned this around in Mumbai against India. Even Bumrah can’t save India at the death it seems. Simmons luck has now overflown out of Wankhede as a leading edge goes over third man for four. Then off the last ball, hits a six that sails over long off.

What every India fan is feeling right now.

Is #IND overstepping its welcome at the #WT20? 2 no-balls, 2 wickets gone begging #IndvsWI https://t.co/2iLVX5iiEp pic.twitter.com/lNBdiCaZgp

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) March 31, 2016

Beyond ridiculous luck for West Indies and Lendl Simmons now! Pandya’s nightmare becomes worse. He oversteps, and Simmons is caught. Yes, twice now for Simmons. Free hit is smoked for a six.

Insult, meet injury. (That over also featured the biggest six of the torunament that was called 99m — it went into the 3rd tier)

After 15 overs, West Indies 138/3 ( Lendl Simmons 56 , Andre Russell 12)

Kohli right now pic.twitter.com/5wHLOztqlk

— Local Tea Party (@localteaparty) March 31, 2016

After 14 overs, West Indies 120/3 ( Lendl Simmons 50 , Andre Russell 1)

Kohli just concedes four runs and picks up a wicket. Wow. Simmons reaches his 50 in the meantime

OUT! Can he part water? Can he walk on a lake? Can he turn lead to gold? It’s Virat Kohli who gives India the breakthrough. First ball of his spell and Johnson Charles skies one and is caught at long off. And he soaks it all in! What a man. 

That slo mo shot of Kohli celebrating his wickets with his coiffed hair flying on his suspiciously white forehead!!

— Zenia D'cunha (@ZENIADCUNHA) March 31, 2016

After 13 overs, West Indies 116/2 ( Johnson Charles 52 , Lendl Simmons 47)

This is now a nightmare of epic proportions for Jadeja — 13 runs from the over! The dew seems to have taken all the sting out of Jadeja’s fingers. Two fours from Simmons.

After 12 overs,West Indies 104/2 ( Johnson Charles 50 , Lendl Simmons 37)

Dhoni persists with Pandya and just 7 runs from that over, despite another poor ball — short again — that is slapped away by Charles. He brings up a 50!

12th over: With Charles stepping on the accelerator, 12 runs came from the 10th over, sending India’s COW to 38%. Simmons now getting into the act, and 13 runs were scored in the 11th over. India’s COW drops further to 36%. In the 12th over,

India manage to rein things back in, conceding 7 runs, their COW at 34%. West Indies favoured by 66%!

Last 4 overs… 46 runs. That’s where the match turned. #IndvsWI #WT20

— Chetan Narula (@chetannarula) March 31, 2016

After 11 overs, West Indies 97/2 ( Johnson Charles 46 , Lendl Simmons 35)

Jadeja back and he is struggling, and India are struggling. Jadeja is taken to the cleaners by Simmons. Flat and powerful over midwicket. Then a smoking square drive — it burns the carpet, says commentator — for four. 13 from that over. It’s going south for India at the wankhede!

Understandably so. West Indies are actually in the driver’s seat now.

Crowd has gone a bit restless with this partnership developing between Simmons and Charles. #WT20 #IndvWI

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) March 31, 2016

After 10 overs, West Indies 84/2 (Johnson Charles 45 , Lendl Simmons 23)

What hitting by Charles! Pandya is leaking runs. An over-pitched ball is edged to third-man for a six (just about!). Then another bad short ball is hit to backward square leg for 4.

After 9 overs, West Indies 72/2 ( Johnson Charles 34 , Lendl Simmons 23)

Ashwin’s poor form continues from the Australia match — where he just bowled two overs. First a huge six over midwicket and then a hit to cow corner where Pandey’s despairing dive cannot save a boundary.

That’s now 2-0-20-0 for Ashwin

After 8 overs, West Indies 59/2 ( Johnson Charles 23 , Lendl Simmons 21)

This is a very good rebuild here from West Indies. After a good start to the over from Pandya, where he concedes just three runs from the first four balls, he over-does the short ball strategy — gets pulled by Charles for 4.

Ashwin into the attack and it’s not a good over from the Chennai off-spinner. Starts with a wide ball outside off stump which Simmons hits uppishly but in the gap to third man for four. A couple of good balls later, he bowls another wide outside off — but this one is caught well by Bumrah! But hang on, the spinner HAS OVERSTEPPED! Oh dear. At least the free-hit ball is full and fast and Simmons can;t do nothing about it.

After 7 overs, India 62/0 ( Rohit Sharma 43 , Ajinkya Rahane 17)