Former champions India upstaged South Africa by six wickets in the second semi-final in Dhaka on Friday to cruise into the final of ICC World Twenty20. Chasing 173 to win, India were led by a swashbuckling knock of 72 not out by Virat Kohli as they strolled to the target with five balls to spare.
In contrast, South Africa, regarded as perennial chokers in crucial matches, yet again failed to reach any world level final since their readmission into cricket in 1991.
Kohli smashed five boundaries and two sixes off 44 balls in a brilliant display of batting, highlighting India's strength at chasing a target. He hit paceman Dale Steyn for a boundary to seal the win much to the jubiliation of a packed Shere Bangla stadium. (Also read: How Kohli battled back pain to carry India to final)
Kohli and other Indian batsmen blunted South Africa's best bowlers, leg-spinner Imran Tahir -- joint highest wicket-taker so far in the tournament with 12 -- and paceman Steyn with authority. Tahir managed just one wicket for 30 runs in his four overs while Steyn went for 36 in 3.1 overs.
Kohli brought up his seventh T20 fifty with a huge six off Tahir and despite the loss off Yuvraj Singh (18) and Suresh Raina (21) kept the run-chase smooth. Rohit Sharma made a 13-ball 24 with a six and four boundaries and Ajinkya Rahane scored 32 off 30 balls. (In pics: Kohli aims for WT20 trophy)
South Africa, who batted after winning the toss were helped to 172-4 with skipper Faf du Plessis scoring a 41-ball 58 for his fifth Twenty20 fifty. He added 71 for the third wicket with Jean-Paul Duminy who made an unbeaten 40-ball 45 to bolster the innings.
Du Plessis, who missed South Africa's last game against England because of a slow over-rate suspension, hit five boundaries and two towering sixes as the duo negotiated an Indian spin quartet with aggressive batting.
South Africa lost opener Quinton de Kock (six) in the first over before Hashim Amla and Du Plessis took the score to 44 in the fifth over. But Ravichandran Ashwin, who took 3-22 in his four overs, put the brakes on South Africa's progress, claiming Amla (22) and then dangerman AB de Villiers (ten) off a miscued pull shot which was smartly held by Rohit Sharma at long leg.
In between du Plessis and Duminy batted with guts to take South Africa to 115 before Ashwin bowled du Plessis off a miscued sweep. Duminy, who hit three sixes and a four, added another 43 for the unbroken fifth wicket with Andrew Miller (23 not out) to help South Africa add 106 in the last ten overs.
Leg-spinner Amit Mishra, India's most successful bowler in the Super-10 stage, went for 36 runs in his three overs without taking a wicket.
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