CRICKET NEWS : Simmons punishes India indiscipline to put Windies through
Lendl Simmons took advantage of undisciplined India bowling to
upstage Virat Kohli as West Indies beat the hosts by seven wickets at
Wankhede Stadium to set up a World Twenty20 final against England.
Kohli's magnificent 82 not out against Australia sealed India's place
in the last four and he carried on where he left off by making a
sublime unbeaten 89 from only 47 balls after he should have been run out
on one as India posted 192-2 in Mumbai on Thursday.
But Simmons (82 not out from 51 balls) also took advantage of good
fortune, cashing in on two reprieves for front-foot no-balls to guide
the Windies to a sensational victory.
Simmons, playing at the ground where he represents Mumbai Indians in
the IPL, was only called up this week following an injury to Andre
Fletcher and bludgeoned five sixes in a brutal knock to stun India.
Johnson Charles (52 off 36) also made a half-century before Andre
Russell (43no from 20) smashed Kohli, who had taken a wicket with his
first ball, for six to finish off the job with two balls to spare and
put the Windies one victory away from regaining the title they won in
2012.
Rohit Sharma (43) got India off to a flying start, then Kohli had a
huge stroke of luck when he went walkabout but both Denesh Ramdin and
Dwayne Bravo failed to run him out.
Ajinkya Rahane made a brisk 40 and Kohli shifted through the gears
with some scintillating strokes to raise the roof, hitting 11 fours and
one six with late support from captain MS Dhoni in a thrilling unbroken
stand of 64 in only 4.3 overs.
The Windies would have been hoping for a Chris Gayle onslaught, but a
partisan crowd roared yet again when Jasprit Bumrah (1-42) rocked back
the big-hitting left hander's off-stump with a full and straight
delivery after he had made just five.
West Indies were 19-2 when Marlon Samuels threw his wicket away, then
Simmons was given a reprieve on 18 after he was caught but Ravichandran
Ashwin overstepped.
Charles added to Ashwin's misery with some powerful strokes and also
gave Hardik Pandya the treatment with some lusty blows, but Kohli
stepped up with the ball to get the opener caught at long-on.
Simmons cut loose with some clean hitting and was given another life
when he was caught once again on 50 - but this time Pandya over-stepped -
before Ravindra Jadeja trod on the boundary rope trying to catch the
right-hander in the deep on 68.
Those let-offs proved to be costly and even Kohli was unable to deny
the Windies victory when he was given the ball by Dhoni for the final
over, with Russell clubbing a four and a six to put the Windies through.
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