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Lucky Lendl leads Windies into World T20 finals

Lendl Simmons,Virat Kohli,Andre Russell,ICC WorldT20, West Indies, India,

Late replacement Lendl Simmons blasted 83 runs off 51 balls to lead the West Indies to a nail-biting seven-wicket win in the last over against India in the second semi-final of the ICC WorldT20 Final after successfully chasing down 192 runs.

Simmons who was caught three times, but twice the bowlers had overstepped for no-balls and once on the boundary but Ravindra Jadeja stepped on the ropes before tossing the ball for Virat Kohli to take the catch. India paid dearly for those mistakes as West Indies set up a final against England on Sunday.

Simmons wasn’t the only batsman to ride his luck as India’s new star Virat 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. Kohli survived two chance including a run out chance missed by Dwayne Bravo early in his innings.

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

The right-handed Simmons who 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.

Simmons made his presence felt firing 83 runs off 51 balls, which included seven fours and five sixes. Simmons shared 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 including a huge six to end the contest.

The Caribbean bowlers began strongly, allowing the home team just six runs in the first couple of overs but India then took control in front of a stadium filled to the brim with fans making the players know they are at home.

Rohit Sharma 43 runs and Ajinkya Rahane 40 runs put on 62 for the first wicket, giving the Indians their best start of the tournament.

That laid the perfect foundation for the inform Virat Kohli, who single handedly led his side into the last four with 82 not out against Australia in the previous match, as he compiled a third unbeaten half-century in the tournament.

Virat Kohli began nervously, an was given a life on 18 when both Dinesh Ramdin and Dwayne Bravo failed to run out the world number 1 best batsman. Kohli did leave the Caribbean team in regret stroking 11 fours and a six in his 47-ball knock, putting on 66 for the second wicket with Rahane and an unbroken 64 for the third with captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, 15 not out .

West Indies face England for the second time in the tournament with both teams playing to beCome the first team to win the World T20 for a second time.

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