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for statistics, graphs and much more Preview: India face West Indies in high-voltage World T20 semis Mumbai: On a high after a thumping win over Australia, favourites India will aim to continue their winning momentum and seal a place in the final when they take on the West Indies in the second semi-final of the World Twenty20 cricket tournament at the Wankhede Stadium here on Thursday. After suffering a disappointing loss to New Zealand in their campaign opener, 2007 inaugural World T20 champions India came back strongly to outclass Pakistan, Bangladesh and Australia to enter the semis in style. They look favourites to win the Thursday tie to secure a place in the final, scheduled at the Eden Gardens on April 3. [caption id=“attachment_2705862” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
Image from India-West Indies warm-up match before the World T20. AFP[/caption] On the other hand, 2012 winners Windies had three successive wins against England, Sri Lanka and South Africa but suffered a huge blow after losing to minnows Afghanistan in their last group stage match. But on Thursday, it will be a fresh start for the Darren Sammy-led side in what will be a do-or-die clash. India on the other hand is likely to miss star Yuvraj Singh after the left-handed batsman sustained an ankle injury when setting off for a run against Australia at Mohali. Talented batsman Manish Pandey has been called in as cover for Yuvraj. Ajinkya Rahane, who was warming the bench in the entire tournament, might be the one to fill in Yuvraj’s place. Keeping aside Yuvraj’s injury, the hosts have quite a balanced side with swashbuckling batsman Virat Kohli in prime form. Kohli has come up with consistent scores and match winning knocks. He has scored 184 runs in four matches in the competition. But the worry for the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led team will be the lack of consistency from openers Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and middle order batsman Suresh Raina. Despite getting good starts, the trio have thrown away their wicket at crucial junctures of the game to have their team on the backfoot. Inclusion of Rahane will add strength to the batting line-up with all-rounder Hardik Pandya and Dhoni himself coming in lower down the order. In terms of bowling line-up, the hosts have fared well in the tournament claiming wickets at regular intervals both at the start and at the death overs. Leading the pace attack will be veteran Ashish Nehra, who has used his experience to good effect and also mentored young turk Jasprit Bumrah. Spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja will aim to continue their good run. The West Indies will be without batsman Andre Fletcher, who pulled a right hamstring during the match against Afghanistan, and has been ruled out for play. Lendl Simmons has been called up as the replacement. But as always, the side will rely on hard-hitting and flamboyant batsman Chris Gayle to fire for them at the top. The 36-year-old blasted an unbeaten 100 in just 48 balls to steer his side to a comfortable win against England in their campaign opener here. Besides Gayle, the team has plenty of T20 specialist and match winners who can turn the match around single-handedly. Johnson Charles, Marlon Samuels and all-rounders Darren Sammy, Dwayne Bravo, Andre Russell and Carlos Brathwaite make them a dangerous unit. Spinners Samuel Badree and Sulieman Benn, who were handy in the tournament with their variations, will aim to deliver once again for the side. The squads: India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Manish Pandey, Suresh Raina, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami, Harbhajan Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Pawan Negi, Ashish Nehra, Hardik Pandya. West Indies: Darren Sammy (captain), Chris Gayle, Johnson Charles, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Carlos Brathwaite, Ashley Nurse, Jerome Taylor, Sulieman Benn, Samuel Badree.
World T20, India vs West Indies as it happened: Simmons, Russell power Windies to a thrilling win
Live updates from India vs West Indies World T20 semi-final match at Wankhede
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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.
This is where the match was decided, at the end of the day.
Probably what most India fans are feeling right now.
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!
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.
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)
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.
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%!
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.
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)