World T20: Simmons Powers West Indies to a Thumping 7 Wicket over India

Simmons
Lendl Simmons scored a match winning knock of 82 runs to guide West Indies to the final of World T20 .

Internet Desk: Some brilliant power hitting from Lendl Simmons, Andre Russell and Johnson Charles took West Indies to the final of the World T20. Lendl Simmons playing his first match of the tournament played a blinder; scoring 82 not out off 51 balls. He was given tremendous support from Andre Russell who scored 43* off 20 balls. Both put on an undefeated partnership of 80 runs off 39 balls to win a thriller at the Wankhede.

West Indies will now face England in the final at Eden Gardens on April 03. Indiscipline from the Indian bowlers also did not help MS Dhoni’s cause as Lendl Simmons was given not out on two occasions due to over stepping from Ashwin and Pandya.

Chasing a huge target of 193 runs it required someone like Chris Gayle to fire at the start. But the Jamaican was snapped up early on by Jasprit Bumra who shared the new ball with Nehra. The youngster bowled the ball of the tournament as he got Gayle bowled off his first ball. Another power hitting West Indian batsman Marlon Samuels too failed with the bat scoring just 8 runs before getting foxed by a slower from Nehra. He was caught by Jadeja. West Indies were reeling at 19/2 after 3 overs.

But a brilliant counter attack from Johnson Charles and Lendl Simmons brought Windies back on track in its run chase. Charles scored 52 off 36 balls hitting seven fours and couple of huge sixes.

The young West Indian opener never looked to get bothered with the dismissals of two senior batsman as he hit Bumrah to consecutive boundaries. the fence.

Simmons who was surprisingly sent at No. 4 pulled Nehra for his first boundary. The batsman who opens for Mumbai Indians, hit Jadeja for a straight six. West Indies ended the power play scoring just 44/2.

Ashwin was brought immediately after the power play. Simmons slashed at a ball outside the off stump in between the point fielder for his second boundary. Ashwin came close to giving India another breakthrough by getting Simmons caught by Bumrah at point. But it was given a no ball. Simmons failed to score off the free hit. West Indies was 51/2 after 7 overs.

Hardik Pandya was brought into the attack in the 8th over. Charles went after him as he  pulled a length ball to the mid wicket fence.

Charles launched Ashwin to the stands of the first ball of the 9th over. He followed it up with another boundary to bring up the fifty partnership for the 3rd wicket. Ashwin went for 13 runs in the over as West Indies reached 72/2 after 9 overs.

The West Indies opener  slashed hard a delivery outside the off stump for another six over point. He pulled another short ball for another boundary of the next ball. West Indies scored 84/2 at half way stage still needing another 109 runs to win.

Simmons pulled Jadeja for another hit to the stands of the first ball of the 11th over. He followed it up with another boundary. West Indies looked to be on course to chase the huge total as they reached 97/2 after 11 overs.

Pandya was persisted with by Dhoni to bowl the 12th over. He was welcomed by Charles for a thump over mid wicket to bring up his fifty. Simmons continued his attack as he lashed one off Jadeja for a flat four over point. He followed it up with a similar stroke for another boundary of the last ball.

Just when West Indies batsmen looked to take the game away from India, Virat Kohli gave India the most needed breakthrough getting rid of Charles caught by Rohit Sharma for 52 off 36 balls. West Indies was 116/3. Simmons though reached his fifty of only 35 balls.

Rusell, who came in at No 5 smashed Pandya of the first delivery he faced. He sent Pandya into the top tier at Wankhede. The all rounder gave India a huge breakthrough getting Simmons caught by Ashwin but to the utter disappointment to the Wankhede crowd  it was called a no ball again for over stepping. Simmons got his second life in the match. Rubbing salt on the wound he hit the free hit for a huge six into the stands. West Indies was 138/3 after 15 overs with 55 runs needed of 30 balls.

Bumrah who bowled the 16th over was hit for a four and a six by Simmons.

Dhoni brought in Nehra to bowl his last over. This was perhaps the last throw of the dice for the Indian captain.

Rusell sent Nehra for a six in the fourth ball of the over. But he did bowl well to restrict the West Indians to 161/3. The Caribbean’s still required 32 runs off 18 balls to win.

Bumrah bowled three excellent slower balls to restrict Simmons from scoring. He eventually scored a six of the fourth ball as Virat just stepped on the boundary ropes. It also brought the fifty of the partnership between Simmons and Russell. Simmons slashed the last ball for another boundary over point  to bring down the target to 20 off just 12 balls.

Dhoni brought Jadeja to bowl the 19th over. The all rounder gave two runs in his first three deliveries, only to see the next ball flying into the stands followed by a boundary over covers.

With just 7 runs to defend, Dhoni brought Virat Kohli to bowl the last over. Kohli was taken for a single of the first ball by Simmons. He followed it up with a dot ball to Russell. But the Knight Riders all rounder hit him for a boundary to mid wicket. He launched the next delivery into the stands to see his team go through to the final.

Virat Kohli carried on his brilliant run in the World T20 as he guided India to a commendable total of 192/2 in the second semi final at Wankhede. Kohli scored 89* off 47 balls that included 11 hits to the fence and a huge six. West Indies will rue the golden opportunity they had to get Kohli out when he was on only 1 run. Both Denesh Ramdin and Dwayne Bravo missed a great opportunity to run him out. Dhoni remained not out on 15 runs.

Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane made useful contributions scoring 43 and 40 respectively. They gave India a perfect start notching up the best partnership of the tournament. The duo put on 62 runs for the first wicket. Both the openers were cautious at the start as they managed to score only 6 runs of the first two overs.

Rohit was the aggressive of the two batsmen. He launched into the attack as he hit the first ball from Carlos Braithwaite through the line for his first six over long on. The medium pacer went for 9 runs in his first over as India was 15/0 after 3 overs.

Windies most successful bowler Samuel Badree got the first breakthrough for his side as he got Sharma out plumbed in front of the stumps. Rohit made the most of the Wankhede track as he notched up his highest score of the tournament scoring 43 runs off 31 balls. He hit three fours and sixes. India was 62/1 after 7.1 overs.

West Indies had the best moment of the match as they missed a great opportunity to run out Virat Kohli. Both Denesh Ramdin and Bravo missed hitting the stumps. Virat was not out on 1 run. The star Indian batsman got a welcome boundary as he edged a delivery outside the off stump to get his first boundary. India was 76/1 after 9 overs.

Rahane meanwhile went from strength to strength as he pulled one from Badree to the boundary. India at half way stage was 86/1.

Rahane perished trying to send Russell to the stands, only to be caught at square leg by Bravo. He played his part scoring a well made 40 runs off 35 balls. India was 128/2 after 15.3 balls. The partnership between Kohli and Rahne put on 66 runs off 49 balls.

Dhoni hit the first ball of Braithwaite to the boundary as he move towards the off side to paddle a low full toss to fine leg. Kohli pulled a shot one towards the mid wicket for his fifth boundary. He took a couple from the next ball to bring up his half century off only 33 balls.  India reached 150 after 17 overs.

Braithwaite wasted an opportunity at long on to give Kohli another boundary, his seventh of the innings. Kohli followed it up with an exquisite cover drive. India was 161/2 after 18 overs.

Kohli banged Rusell into the stands with a thundering hit of the fourth ball. He followed it up with a brilliant cover drive. He picked up his third successive four with a straight drive. Rusell went for 19 runs as India reached 180 runs after 19 overs.

Lendl Simmons made a brilliant effort to get Kohli but missed it. Kohli hit the second last ball of the innings to the fence for his 11th hit to the fence. India manage to post a formidable total of 192/3.

Earlier West Indies skipper Darren Sammy won the toss and elected to bowl against India.
Ajinkya Rahane replaced Shikhar Dhawan , while Manish Pandey was picked in place of the injured Yuvraj Singh.
For West Indies Chris Gayle and Lendl Simmons came in for Evin Lewis and the injured Andre Fletcher, who had a hamstring problem against Afghanistan.