Simmons rides his luck to carry West Indies into WT20 final

Late replacement Lendl Simmons led a charmed life to blast 82 not out and carry West Indies to a nail-biting seven-wicket win in the last over against India in the second semi-final of the World Twenty20 on Thursday.

Simmons was caught three times at the Wankhede Stadium but made the most of his fortunate reprieves to help West Indies set up a final against England on Sunday.

On 18 and 50 he escaped after the bowlers had overstepped for no-balls.

The 31-year-old also had luck on his side on 68 when Ravindra Jadeja snapped him up on the boundary but stepped on the rope as he lobbed the ball to Virat Kohli, turning a possible dismissal into a six.

Earlier, Kohli continued his rich vein of form by smashing an undefeated 89 to guide India to 192 for two after they were put in to bat.

West Indies lost the dangerous Chris Gayle and Marlon Samuels early in their reply but opener Johnson Charles kept them in the hunt with a 36-ball 52 and a third-wicket stand of 97 with Simmons.

The right-handed Simmons plays for Mumbai in the Indian Premier League and was only called into the squad two days ago as a replacement for the injured Andre Fletcher.

He cracked seven fours and five sixes in 51 balls and added an unbeaten 80 with Andre Russell for the fourth wicket to take West Indies home with two balls to spare.

Russell, known for his powerful hitting, contributed 43 off 20 deliveries.

"We knew it was a 200 wicket and halfway in the dressing room I kept telling the boys that India are 10 runs short," said West Indies skipper Darren Sammy, delighted after his team proved they can win without Gayle firing on all cylinders.

"We said this before the tournament that Chris is under pressure, he is our best Twenty20 player but we have 15 match-winners in this side."

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England vs New Zealand - ICC World Twenty20 semi-final: England reach final thanks to Jason Roy

If there is one thing Twenty20 cricket has taught batsmen around the world it is that no target is beyond reach. At the ICC World Twenty20 2016, New Zealand has taught the cricket world a different kind of lesson, that any score is defendable. But, a rampaging England team would not let the small matter of 154 runs stand between it and a spot in the final, and lost only three wickets in booking its flight to Kolkata and a date with the Eden Gardens.


When Eoin Morgan won the toss and put New Zealand in on Wednesday (March 30) at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi, he quickly discovered that this pitch was the best batting surface this ground had served up.

Martin Guptill began with a bang, sending the first ball to the fence, and more than once he received deliveries in his hitting arc, either short and wide or full and straight. But David Willey, who has made a habit of picking up early wickets, got one to hold the angle and Guptill, committed to the stroke, nicked off

New Zealand gave Colin Munro license to thrill and he played a shot to almost anything sent his way. It wasn’t pretty, several balls squirting off the edge, others going anywhere but their intended destination, but the runs came thick and fast, allowing Kane Williamson to attempt to construct an innings and set the tone.

As always, Williamson’s strokes were cloaked in gorgeousness, but this thing of beauty was not a joy forever. While Munro hacked away and thrived, Williamson pursued excellence and failed. Trying to force Moeen Ali, Williamson (32) skied the ball and the bowler contained his excitement long enough to run as far as mid-off to settle under the return catch.

New Zealand, who had laid a rock solid foundation of 89 for 1 from 10 overs, found that Williamson’s wicket changed everything.

England’s bowlers were right on the money, mixing up yorkers with tidy lines and lengths, and the wickets came with an air of inevitability. Munro (46) hacked one high and wide to the fielder at third man, while Ross Taylor was well caught by Morgan as he tried to clear the infield.

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Sammy: Afghanistan defeat will not define our tournament

West Indies captain Darren Sammy has told his side to forget their surprise Super 10 defeat against Afghanistan as they prepare for a World Twenty20 semi-final on Thursday.

The Windies came into their final group match on Sunday having already qualified for the last four, but lost their unbeaten record as Associate nation Afghanistan defended a modest total of 123-7 to win by six runs and end their campaign on a high.

Sammy's men, winners of the 2012 World T20, can nevertheless look forward to a last-four meeting with either India or Australia in Mumbai.

"We're quite disappointed that we lost the game, but we won't let that define our tournament," said Sammy.

"Whatever happened today doesn't affect how we're going to play in the semis.

"We'll leave this game here and see it as the blip in the tournament. Now we have two knockouts to play, two more steps, semi-finals in Mumbai, take that step, then Kolkata here we come [for the final]."

Sammy insisted the Windies had not taken their foot off the gas with qualification already secured.
"No, we didn't take it lightly," he added. "They are a side we are supposed to beat and we just didn't do that. But the main objective coming out of the Super 10 was to qualify for the semis, and that we did.

"It's a total we should have got. I think we just kept losing wickets, all throughout the innings. We didn't really have one partnership. One partnership of fifty plus would have won us the game. At the end of the day we just didn't play smart enough.

"The games we have won, every match, somebody took responsibility to bat through. Chris [Gayle] did it in the first game, [Andre] Fletcher did it in the second and Marlon [Samuels] did it in the third, so this time nobody did it, nobody took responsibility – just left it for the next man to come."

The Windies will assess a right hamstring injury sustained by Fletcher, which forced the all-rounder to retire hurt before briefly returning at the end of his side's unsuccessful chase.

Magnificent Kohli Powers India Into Semi-Finals

India and Australia played out another epic in a rivalry that is gradually becoming one of the more fabled ones in the cricketing world. This contest, with a semi-final spot in the ICC World Twenty20 2016 at stake, was settled entirely by the incandescence of Virat Kohli, who added another chapter in his rapidly burgeoning masterclass of chases, at a vibrant PCA Stadium.

A capacity Sunday (March 27) crowd was on tenterhooks for much of India’s chase of Australia’s 160 for 6, built primarily on a sparkling opening stand between Usman Khawaja and Aaron Finch, though with Kohli in the middle, hope always sprang eternal. The India No. 3 did not disappoint, unfurling an innings of such magnificence, beauty and orthodoxy that he left even the Australians spellbound, and booked India a ticket to the March 31 semi-final at the Wankhede against West Indies.
Riding entirely on the back of Kohli’s undefeated 82 off just 51 deliveries with nine beautifully-timed fours and two towering sixes, India eventually won in a canter, by six wickets with five deliveries to spare. Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who saw another crucial toss slip away as Steven Smith called right, landed the customary winning blow by spanking James Faulkner wide of mid-on as India hurtled to 161 for 4, but it was the Test captain who walked away with all the accolades.

Kohli is an excitable young man, so how he manages to control his emotions every time the ball is delivered is astonishing. In a wonderful display of awareness and spectacular shot making on a difficult surface once the ball lost its hardness, Kohli accelerated in dramatic style. His half-century, almost regulation in a chase, came off 39 deliveries, but he only took 12 more for the last 32 runs, smashing six fours and one six in that period to completely dominate the unfinished fifth-wicket stand of 67 off just 31 deliveries. Dhoni’s contribution to the stand was 18 – need one say more?

India came into the last five overs of its innings needing 59, having suffered another top-order disappointment as Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina all fell with just 49 on the board. Kohli had warmed up with a whip through mid-wicket and a drive on the up off successive deliveries, but was forced to rein himself in as the wickets tumbled around him.

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'Managing chaos' key to India winning Bangalore cliffhanger

Mahendra Singh Dhoni said India's nailbiting one-run win over Bangladesh to keep their World Twenty20 dream alive was all about holding their nerve and being able to "manage chaos".
India survived a rollercoaster match in Bangalore on Wednesday night that saw Bangladesh come tantalisingly close to chasing down India's total of 146 for seven, only to lose three wickets in the last three balls.

India finally scraped home when wicketkeeping skipper Dhoni ran out Mustafizur Rahman off the last ball of the match, after earlier taking two critical stumpings.

With two wins and one losses, the victory gives India much-needed momentum as they gun for a place in the semi-finals, with only Australia left to play in the group stages.

Dhoni paid credit to his side for keeping cool and recovering from mistakes in the pressure-cooker atmosphere of a packed Chinnaswamy Stadium after showing similar resolve on Saturday in a win over Pakistan.

Dhoni, known as "Captain Cool" and the brains behind India's onfield strategy, said it was important to listen to all voices in those situations, and then come to your own conclusions quickly.

"In a situation like this, it's literally chaos. What you are trying to do is you're trying to manage chaos," Dhoni said after the match.

"Everybody will come and he'll have his own opinion. Often the opinion of a batsman is very different to the opinion of a bowler.

"If I am convinced that this is something I want to do, I will go ahead with it but definitely having an open mind at that point of time really helps because at times in situations like these under pressure, that's where the input of others comes in.

"But you have to assess everything and it has to happen in a very short span of time."
Dhoni singled out his younger charges including 22-year-old paceman Jasprit Bumrah for overcoming some shaky fielding, including a miss-field turned boundary and a dropped chance off Bangladesh star batsman Tamim Iqbal, to produce some solid bowling.

"These are the games that really make you better players because it pushes you to think in a different way, it pushes you to have that confidence in your strength at the time when it's really needed."

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Zampa, Khawaja deliver Australia win

Usman Khawaja hit a quick-fire half-century to help Australia to a thrilling three-wicket victory against Bangladesh in their World Twenty20 clash in Bangalore on Monday.
The left-handed opener smashed 58 off 45 balls as Australia successfully chased down Bangladesh's total of 156 for five.

The victory puts Australia's bid for a first ever World T20 trophy back on track after the top-ranked Test side lost to New Zealand in their opening match.

The 29-year-old Khawaja whacked seven fours and one six before he was bowled by Al-Amin Hossain in their Super 10 Group Two match.

Khawaja, born in Pakistan, and Shane Watson put on a solid 62-run opening partnership before the veteran all-rounder was run out for 21.

Bangladesh's string of bowlers mounted a spirited attack against the Aussies, after suffering a devastating blow when Taskin Ahmed and Arafat Sunny were suspended for illegal bowling actions at the weekend.

Skipper Steve Smith was bowled for 14 by Mustafizur Rahman and David Warner was caught and bowled for 17 by Shakib Al Hasan. Glenn Maxwell was stumped for 26 off 15 balls.
James Faulkner hit the winning runs with nine balls to spare.

Bangladesh, demolished by Pakistan in their first group match, are now unlikely to qualify for the semi-finals, sitting at the bottom of their group with two matches left to play.

After Australia won the toss and elected to field, Mahmudullah top scored for the Tigers, striking an aggressive unbeaten 49, that included seven fours and one six.

Seasoned T20 campaigner Shakib also chipped in with 33 off 25 balls, as Bangladesh desperately tried to notch up their first points in the group stage.

Shakib struck three fours and one six before being caught by Nathan Coulter-Nile off Adam Zampa for the fifth wicket.

Spinner Zampa, 23, spearheaded the Australian bowling attack by taking three wickets, his first in T20 internationals, while Watson claimed two.

Right-hander Mohammad Mithun struck a tidy 23 off 22 balls before being caught by Watson at deep midwicket off Zampa.

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Australia, Bangladesh fight for survival

Big picture

Following the wintry weather of Dharamsala, Australia hope to thaw their World Twenty20 campaign in the warmer surrounds of Bangalore. Faced with an opponent in Bangladesh who have never beaten them in the format, and aided by the harsh lessons of their opening game against a crafty and resourceful New Zealand, Steven Smith's team will be confident of doing so. Nevertheless, the World T20 is a fleeting experience - the coach Darren Lehmann has said "it's so quick you haven't got too much time to think about it" - and one false move will mean virtual elimination inside two games.

Continuity has long been a problem for Australia in T20, and the New Zealand defeat raised the prospect of still more shuffling. Smith's men have been almost universally blind-sided by the tournament's preponderance of slow and turning surfaces well removed from the kinds of inviting surfaces thy have grown used to in the IPL, and must quickly find a way to prosper against the spinning ball given Bangladesh will not be short of slow men. Team balance is also an issue, with Aaron Finch on the fringes of the team and a second spinner in Ashton Agar who was seemingly picked without much expectation from the selectors that he would be needed. A little stability would not go astray, given how the Australians must now try to build momentum over the next two games before they meet India in the final qualifying match.

Bangladesh have meanwhile been waylaid by the banning of Taskin Ahmed and Arafat Sunny for illegal bowling actions. Aside from the trauma of being ejected from the competition, they have presented the coach Chandika Hathurusingha with his own selection conundrum about who comes in. The batting allrounder Shuvagata Hom and left-arm spinner Saqlain Sajib are their likely replacements, the latter chosen for the first time. The fact both men bowl spin will be a reminder of what this tournament is calling for: by the end of Monday night Australia and Bangladesh will know whether they stand a chance of finding the right combination for it.

Form guide
(last five completed matches, most recent first)
Australia LWWLL
Bangladesh LWWLW

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Steven Smith expects a turning track in Dharamsala

It is quite easy to be enamoured by the settings of HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. The Himalayas provide a beautiful backdrop but when the view shifts to the ground itself, which was under covers a day before the game between Australia and New Zealand, the mood becomes bleaker. With each game holding a lot of significance in a tournament like the 2016 ICC World Twenty20, a washout is the last thing that any team would want.

For Australia, this will be the first game of the tournament and Steve Smith, the skipper, is eager to get going if the weather permits. Smith is the latest amongst the long list of players who have been smitten by the view but right now the captain is also grappling with the possibility of a shortened game.

"We haven't picked a team yet. We are waiting. We don't know what's going to happen with the weather. There are a few variables there so we are going to wait and see. We are not set on the team for each game. We could chop and change a bit. The guys have to be flexible throughout the tournament and I think it will take all fifteen of us if we have to win it," Smith said in a press conference ahead of the game on Thursday (March 17).

Smith also believed that the team would have to make plans specifically for curtailed games, if needed. "Few different things could change with a shortened game," he said and added, "I think you have to have something in mind. I don't think a lot of the game-plans or the way each individual plays changes too much but I think you do have to have a few different game-plans if the game is a bit shorter."

Dhoni blames batsmen for loss

India captain MS Dhoni criticised his team's batsmen for their "soft" dismissals after their 47-run loss to New Zealand at the World Twenty20.

The tournament hosts looked in a good position when they reduced New Zealand to 126-7, but they struggled against spin to be bowled out for just 79 in response in Nagpur on Tuesday.
Dhoni top-scored for India with 30, while only Virat Kohli (23) and Ravichandran Ashwin (10) also managed to reach double-figures.

The skipper was unhappy with the way his team batted in their opening encounter of the tournament.
"There were quite a few soft dismissals; there were no partnerships at all," Dhoni said.
"[Partnerships are] what's needed when you're scoring 120 or 125 runs chasing. We all knew the wicket was slightly on the slower side but the good thing is we still restricted them to a good score.
"I think 140 would have been a par score on a wicket like this, so I feel the bowlers did a good job by restricting them to 126.

"I felt it was the batting department that could have done slightly more at the wicket. I think every alternate over we lost one wicket and it becomes more and more difficult.
"Once the top order gets out, the batsman that comes in next - let's talk about the [number] five, six or seven, they have that pressure of one extra wicket falling so it seems as if the cricket has become very difficult.

"But what's important is that is the time to get some kind of partnership. Even if it's not big when it comes to the number of runs scored. It just gives that calmness to the dressing room and the batsman that's coming afterwards."

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Gayle Storm at Wankhede

Chris Gayle blasted a scintillating century to propel the West Indies to a stunning six-wicket win against England in their World Twenty20 opener in Mumbai on Wednesday.

The powerful left-hander smashed 11 sixes and five fours as the Windies successfully chased down England's score of 182 for six at the Wankhede Stadium.

Destructive opener Gayle was largely off-strike in the opening stages of the Super 10 Group One clash but lit up the tournament when the opportunity came his way.

He hit two consecutive sixes off spinner Adil Rashid in the ninth over as the West Indies sat at 85 for two at the half-way stage of their innings.

Gayle, 36, then repeated the feat against Ben Stokes in the 11th as he single-handedly took control of the Windies' assault on England's total.

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ICC World T20 2016 Schedule

ICC World T20  

March 15th, Tuesday: New Zeland vs India 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT), Nagpur 


March 16th, Wednesday: Pakistan vs TBD (A1) 15:00 IST (09:30 GMT), Kolkata 

March 16th, Wednesday: West Indies vs England 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT), Mumbai 


March 17th, Thursday: Sri lanka vs TBD (B1) 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT), Kolkata 


March 18th, Friday: Australia vs New Zealand 15:00 IST (09:30 GMT), Dharamsala 

March 18th, Friday: South Africa vs England 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT), Mumbai 


March 19th, Saturday: India vs Pakistan 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT), Dharamsala 


March 20th, Sunday: South Africa vs TBD (B1) 15:00 IST (09:30 GMT), Mumbai 

March 20th, Sunday: Sri Lanka vs West Indies 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT), Bengaluru 


March 21th, Monday: Australia vs TBD (A1) 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT), Bengaluru 


March 22nd, Tuesday: New Zealand vs Pakistan 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT), Mohali 


March 23rd, Wednesday: England vs TBD (B1) 15:00 IST (09:30 GMT), Delhi 

March 23rd, Wednesday: India vs TBD (A1) 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT), Bengaluru 


March 25th, Friday: Pakistan vs Australia 15:00 IST (09:30 GMT), Mohali 

March 25th, Friday: South Africa vs West Indies 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT), Nagpur 


March 26th, Saturday: TBD (A1) vs New Zealand 15:00 IST (09:30 GMT), Kolkata 

March 26th, Saturday: Sri lanka vs England 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT), Delhi 


March 27th, Sunday: TBD (B1) vs West indies 15:00 IST (09:30 GMT), Nagpur 

March 27th, Sunday: India vs Australia 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT), Mohali 


March 28th, Monday: South Africa vs Sri lanka 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT), Delhi 


March 30th, Wednesday: TBD vs TBD 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT), Delhi 


March 31st, Thursday: TBD vs TBD 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT), Mumbai 


April 3rd, Sunday: TBD vs TBD 19:30 IST (14:00 GMT), Kolkata 

India take on New Zealand WT20

Tournament favourites India face an awkward first assignment in their World T20 campaign in Nagpur Tuesday against a big-hitting New Zealand team who are determined to show there is life after Brendon McCullum.

After 10 victories in their last official T20 internationals, the hosts are on such a roll that skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni is struggling to dampen expectations that the team are sure-fire winners.
But India have a woeful track record against the Black Caps in World T20 tournaments, losing four out of their five previous encounters while the other match was rained off.

And although New Zealand have been undermined by inspirational skipper McCullum's retirement on the eve of the tournament, their performance in warm-up matches shows they are not lacking for firepower.

They thrashed the holders Sri Lanka last Thursday when Colin Munro, Corey Anderson and Grant Elliott all posted half-centuries in rapid time. Skipper Kane Williamson then smashed an entertaining 63 when New Zealand narrowly lost to England in their final warm-up match on Saturday.
India also suffered a rare defeat in what was an unofficial T20 international on Saturday when they lost by four runs to South Africa in another high-scoring match.

With their powerful openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma hitting a purple patch, and the veteran Yuvraj Singh also in good nick, India will expect to post a big total on a batsman-friendly pitch in Nagpur.

Like many of his fellow skippers, Williamson believes that India are the team to beat but says his side -- which is still to win a world cup -- do not lack in belief.
"No doubt India will be possibly the favourites for this tournament but I think all the teams will come here thinking they can win it," he said last week.
Dhoni, known as 'Captain Cool', has been downplaying expectations, joking that the team can still step up a gear or two.
"We are running on the sixth gear (although) I know the technology has gone into the eighth gear," he quipped.

Teams :

India (from): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, Pawan Negi, Ashish Nehra, Hardik Pandya, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh

New Zealand (from): Kane Williamson (captain), Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Martin Guptill, Grant Elliott, Colin Munro, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Adam Milne, Henry Nicholls, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor

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India hopeful as WT20 set for kickoff

Twenty20 cricket's showpiece tournament begins in earnest Tuesday as India, once so sniffy about the glitzy World T20, get the group stages under way for the first time on home soil.

The build-up has been marred by rows over security for Pakistan and the late release of tickets, while the holders Sri Lanka are mired in turmoil.

But the controversies have done little to dampen the fervour of Indian fans who believe skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has a date with destiny at the April 3 final at Kolkata's iconic Eden Gardens.

India, hosting the tournament for the first time, begin the group stages with a match in Nagpur against New Zealand on Tuesday night.

Dhoni is expected to retire after the tournament and his team will be desperate to give him a fairytale send-off, five years after he led them to victory on home soil in the 50-over World Cup.

The man known as 'Captain Cool' is trying to keep expectations in check, saying the 2007 champions "are looking to make a slow and steady progress, rather than think(ing) too far ahead".

But retired opener Virender Sehwag, Dhoni's team-mate in the 2011 World Cup triumph, reflected the overwhelming mood of confidence when he said he was "99 percent certain" India would clinch a second World T20 title.

- T20 'circus' -

Dhoni was handed the T20 captaincy for the inaugural tournament in South Africa in 2007 when established stars such as Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid stayed at home.

India's board, worried about the impact of Twenty20 cricket on the 50-over game, only reluctantly agreed to send a team to ensure the right to host the 2011 World Cup.

One senior board official lamented the tournament would be "a circus and our players will be clowns", according to The Times of India.

The 2007 triumph, all the sweeter as it came over arch-rivals Pakistan, transformed the board's perception of the game and spurred it into creating the money-spinning Indian Premier League (IPL).

The fireworks and dancing girls that are integral to an evening's entertainment at the IPL should be even more prominent in the World T20.

T20 matches involving India are guaranteed sell-outs and the format's popularity has put question marks over the future of Test cricket.

After 10 wins in their last 11 games, few teams have begun a tournament as such strong favourites and India don't have many obvious weaknesses.

Powerful openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan have hit a purple patch, building platforms that allow star batsman Virat Kohli to let rip.

Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin should thrive on home wickets and paceman Mohammed Shami's comeback after lengthy injury problems is a major boon.

"This is a pretty formidable side at the moment and I think the all-around ability of this team is what excites me," said Dravid.

But the former skipper said the high number of players with IPL experience meant a lot of teams were in with a shout, and he tipped the new-look England to make an impact with the likes of Joe Root in their ranks.

"England, the way they played in the last year or so, they've played... a more aggressive brand of cricket -- whether it's with the bat and ball -- and the results are already beginning to show," he said.

- Champions struggle -

South Africa may be in decline with premier bowler Dale Steyn struggling for fitness, while the "chokers" tag which stems from a run of world cup heartaches hangs heavy. But in AB de Villiers, they possess arguably the game's most lethal batsman.

His main rival for that title, Chris Gayle, will be the West Indies' chief weapon as they try to prove they are still a force in T20 cricket despite their decline in Tests.

Australia will also look to batter opponents into submission, boosted by David Warner and Glenn Maxwell's recent record stand of 161 against South Africa. But Steve Smith's bowlers lack experience.

New Zealand, beaten by Australia in last year's ODI World Cup final, have been weakened by last month's retirement of talismanic skipper Brendon McCullum.

Sri Lanka, winners last time in 2014, have also struggled since the retirement of star batsmen Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. They have changed their captain and coach since the turn of the year.

Pakistan have been widely written off and their preparations were hit by their delayed departure in a row over the venue of Saturday's match against India, which has been shifted from Dharamsala to Kolkata.

Afghanistan and Bangladesh, who topped their groups in the preliminary stage which ended on Sunday, complete the line-up.