India vs West Indies World T20: India eye semifinal spot after second win

India inched closer to a World Twenty20 semi-final spot after half-centuries from Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli secured their seven-wicket victory over holders West Indies in a super 10 stage match on Sunday.

The 2007 champions restricted their big-hitting West Indian counterparts to a below-par 129 for seven on a slow track and returned to chase down the target with two balls to spare for their second successive victory.

India lost opener Shikhar Dhawan in the first over to a dubious leg before decision but Kohli (54) and Sharma (62 not out) featured in a 106-run second wicket partnership to take the game away from their opponents.

India, who beat arch-rivals Pakistan on Friday and take on qualifiers Bangladesh next Friday, top Group Two with four points.

Put into bat, West Indies opener Chris Gayle appeared to live a charmed life as Ravichandran Ashwin first dropped him in the slips before he had scored and Yuvraj Singh spilled a catch in the deep when the batsman was on 19.

The hard-hitting left-hander hit a couple of sixes but often struggled to find the meat of the bat. His nearly run-a-ball 34 stay ended after a mix-up with Marlon Samuels before the Indian spinners drove home the advantage.

Amit Mishra removed Samuels and Dwayne Bravo off successive deliveries to peg back West Indies before fellow spinner Ravindra Jadeja wrecked the middle order claiming the next three wickets, including two in the final over.

INDIA INNINGS

Raina cracks Samuels for a single for the winning hit as India seal a comprehensive seven-wicket win with two balls spare to spare against West Indies.

It was their second consecutive win and maintain their top position in Group 2.

After restricting West Indies to a below par total of 129-7, India produced a clinical performance to make 130-3 in 19.4 overs.

After losing Dhawan early, half centuries by Virat Kohli (54) and Rohit Sharma (62 not out) during a 106-run stand for the second wicket powered them home comfortably.

Yuvraj is out with one needed for victory, edging Samuels to Gayle at slip. Ind 129-3 in 19.3 overs.

Yuvraj Singh c Gayle b Samuels 10 (19b 1x4 0x6)

Yuvraj opens his account by pulling Russell to the midwicket fence. Ind 111-2 in 15 overs.

Russell breaks the 106-run stand for the second wicket as Kohli drags the ball onto his stumps. Ind 107-2 in 14.4 overs.

Virat Kohli b Russell 54 (41b 5x4 1x6)

Rohit completes his half century with a paddle sweep for a single. Ind 105-1 in 14 overs.

Kohli square drives Santokie for a boundary and brings up his half century with a single as India cruise towards the target. Ind 101-1 in 13 overs.

Rohit slams his second six this time off Samuels as India step up the pace. Ind 92-1 in 12 overs.

Rohit gets a boundary with a Dilscoop off Sammy. Ind 73-1 in 9 overs.

Ace spinner Narine makes an ominous start overstepping and the free hit sent sailing over long-off for the biggest six of the match by Rohit. Ind 48-1 in 6 overs.

Rohit cracks Badree through the covers off consecutive deliveries. Ind 38-1 in 5 overs.

Kohli clips Santokie off consecutive balls to pick up boundaries on the leg side. Ind 28-1 in 4 overs.

Kohli gets cracking slamming a boundary and six off consecutive balls from Badree. Ind 17-1 in 3 overs.

India are off to a shocking start as Dhawan is trapped leg before for a duck. Ind 1-1 in 0.5 overs.

Shikhar Dhawan lbw b Badree 0 (3b 0x4 0x6)

Badree opens the attack for West Indies as India's run chase of 130 finally gets underway.

WEST INDIES INNINGS

Jadeja goes for 21 in the final over with Simmons hitting a couple of sixes and Narine also clearing the ropes but the big hits are too little too late for West Indies who finish on 129-7 after being put into bat.

None of the West Indies really got going with Gayle (34) and Simmons (27) being the main contributors.

Jadeja claimed three for 48 but it was Mishra (2-18) and Ashwin (1-34) were the pick of the bowlers.

Kumar also bowled excellently upfront returning figures of 3-0-3-0.

Simmons departs after hitting consecutive sixes off Jadeja. WI 121-6 in 19.4 overs.

Lendl Simmons c Dhawan b Jadeja 27 (22b 1x4 2x6)

Jadeja claims his second wicket as Russel holes out Kohli. WI 108-6 in 19.1 overs.

Andre Russell c Kohli b Jadeja 7 (5b 0x4 1x6)

Mishra completes his spell with figures of 4-0-18-2. WI 108-5 in 19 overs.

Simmons survives after being caught on the boundary because Jadeja had overstepped. WI 106-5 in 18 overs.

Sammy perishes holing out in the deep with Rohit holding a good catch. WI 97-5 in 17.3 overs.

Darren Sammy c Sharma b Jadeja 11 (7b 2x4 0x6)

Sammy cracks a couple of boundaries, an exquisite late cut to third man and lofted shot over extra cover, in the best over of the innings so far for Windies. WI 96-4 in 17 overs.

Simmons slams jadeja through the covers for a welcome boundary for the Windies. WI 83-4 in 16 overs.

Sammy plays the hat-trick ball for a single. Wi 75-4 in 15 overs.

Mishra is on a hat-trick as Bravo is trapped leg before for a first-ball duck. WI 74-4 in 14.4 overs.

Dwayne Bravo lbw b Mishra 0 (1b 0x4 0x6)

West Indies continue to stumble with Samuels being stumped off Mishra. WI 74-3 in 14.3 overs.

Marlon Samuels st Dhoni b Mishra 18 (22b 3x4 0x6)

Samuels gets a couple of boundaries off Jadeja in a productive over for Windies. WI 72-2 in 14 overs.

Gayle's patient vigil in the middle failing to beat a throw from Shami in the deep. WI 62-2 in 13 overs.

Chris Gayle run out 34 (33b 1x4 2x6)

Windies get a boundary after 21 balls as Samuels punches through the covers with Shami misfielding. WI 59-1 in 12 overs.

West Indies are struggling against the spin manaing just 46-1 at the halfway stage which is the lowest in the tournament after 10 overs.

Raina gives away just a single as West Indies continue to struggle to force the pace. WI 41-1 in 9 overs.

India finally hold onto a catch as Ashwin flings himself to his right to latch onto a return catch off Smith. WI 38-1 in 7.5 overs.

Dwayne Smith c and b Ashwin 11 (29b 2x4 0x6)

Gayle slams the first ball from Mishra for a straight six and is given another life next ball as Yuvraj misjudges a catch off a top edge on the midwicket boundary. WI 33-0 in 7 overs.

Smith breaks the shackles sweeping Ashwin to the fine leg fence for his first boundary. WI 24-0 in 6 overs.

Spin introduced early as Ashwin comes into the attack in the sixth over. WI 18-0 in 5 overs.

Gayle opens his account with a six over midwicket before slamming Shami along the ground for a boundary. WI 16-0 in 4 overs.

Kumar bowls an excellent openeing over conceding just a single to Smith.

India have won the toss and put West Indies into bat in the day-night Group 2 ICC World Twenty20 clash at Mirpur on Sunday.

India have retained the side which played against Pakistan.

West Indies have left out Ravi Rampaul, Sheldon Cottrell, Andre Fletcher and Johnson Charles from their line-up.

PLAYING XI

India: Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina, Yuvraj Singh, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohammed Shami

West Indies: Dwayne Smith, Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels, Lendl Simmons, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Darren Sammy, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Samuel Badree, Krishmar Santokie

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