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This story is from April 5, 2014

India one win away from cricket grand slam after chase-master Virat Kohli chokes South Africa

India rode on Virat Kohli's unbeaten 72 and a fantastic bowling effort from R Ashwin (3-22) to storm into the final of the ICC World T20 with a clinical win.
India one win away from cricket grand slam after chase-master Virat Kohli chokes South Africa
DHAKA: Can Virat Kohli ever falter in a chase? Never. Does he have nerves of steel? Of course. Are South Africa chokers? Certainly.
Scorecard | Match in Pics
India rode on Kohli's unbeaten 72 (44balls; 5x4, 2x6) and a fantastic bowling effort from R Ashwin (4-0-22-3; 13 dot balls) to storm into the final of the ICC World T20 with a clinical win at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium here on Friday.

Set to chase 173 for victory, India achieved the target with five balls to spare, setting up a repeat clash of the 2011 50-over World Cup final against Sri Lanka.
Kohli's companions on Friday were his iron will, steely wrists and the game sense of a grandmaster. He didn't take risks against Dale Steyn and Imran Tahir, ran till his lungs burst and counselled his batting partners. He added 56 with Yuvraj Singh in 6.3 overs, and after the southpaw was dismissed courtesy an unbelievable running catch by AB de Villiers at long off for 18, Kohli stood to give Raina good company when the latter smashed 21 off just 10 balls.

When Yuvraj was dismissed, India needed 40 from four overs. Inexplicably, skipper Du Plessis handed the ball to Wayne Parnell. Raina hit the left-arm-seamer for three fours in that over, which cost 17, as India romped home comfortably.
The efforts of Rohit Sharma (24; 13b,4x4, 1x6) and Ajinkya Rahane (32; 30 b, 2x4, 1x6) at the start cannot be discounted as they injected momentum into the chase with a stand of 39 in 3.5 overs.
* If India win the final, they will become the first team ever to hold the ODI World Cup, Champions Trophy and World T20 together and MS Dhoni will be the first captain to win all three.

* India maintained their record of never losing a semifinal under Dhoni. South Africa have lost 10 of the 11 semifinals they have played in ICC events.

Earlier, Du Plessis, who had stressed on the eve of their semifinal that his side wasn't looking at previous failures in knockouts, played with refreshing freedom to strike a delightful 58 (41b; 5x4, 2x6). Southpaw JP Duminy scored an impressive and unbeaten 45 (40b; 1x4, 3x6), but left the big-hitting a touch too late for the evening.
Du Plessis and Duminy added 71 runs in 50 balls, and added efforts from David Miller 23*(12b, 2x4, 1x6) and Hashim Amla 22 enabled South Africa to post 172/4. India should owe a big thank you to R Ashwin. The bowler had claimed on match-eve that he is on top of his game. He showed precisely why as he mixed up length and varied his pace to fox the spin-wary South Africans. The use of the carrom ball from round the wicket confused the batsmen no end.
Dhoni bowled Suresh Raina ahead of in-form leg-spinner Amit Mishra and after two good overs from the part-timer, which went for just 14, he brought in the leggie. Sadly though, Mishra had an off-day with Du Plessis and Duminy targeting him and conceded 36 from his three overs. It was Ashwin who restored parity with the scalps of Du Plessis and De Villiers.
Factors which won India the day

Ashwin's magic ball
It was perhaps the ball of this edition of World T20 so far. In his very first over, R Ashwin delivered a ‘carrom ball' that pitched outside leg stump and went on to hit the off stump of a bewildered Hashim Amla, who was batting like a dream till that point.

Openers' cracking start
Chasing 173, India needed a quick start, and Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane provided exactly that, adding 39 in 23 balls.

Kohli's class act
Virat Kohli was the pillar around which India successfully executed this chase. Playing himself in initially, Kohli was his sublime self thereafter, stroking the ball all around the park. Kohli showed exactly why he is currently the most complete batsman in world cricket. With 242 runs under his belt in five games, he is the top-scorer in the tournament by far.

Raina's late burst
Skipper MS Dhoni sent in Suresh Raina at a crucial time, when the asking rate was hovering around 10. It was a gamble that paid off handsomely. Raina justified the faith of the skipper by chipping in with a vital cameo of 21, which took just 10 balls.
Stat's the story

*India's 176/4 is their highest successful chase at the World T20, bettering the 141/2 vs Bangladesh on March 28, 2014

*Virat Kohli's unbeaten 72 is the second highest by an Indian while chasing successfully at World T20, the highest being Kohli's unbeaten 78 vs Pak in Colombo on Sept 30, 2012

*Kohli is averaging 101.00 in successful chases in T20Is (404 in 9 innings)

*Ashwin became the 1st Indian take 10 wickets (ave.9.50, in 5 games) in this World T20

Rajesh Kumar

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