Four-wicket haul and 66 not out stuns India in seven-wicket defeat at Lord's

Published on Saturday 13 June 2009 00:27

DWAYNE Bravo's all-round brilliance helped West Indies pull off a shock win over India in the World Twenty20 as he struck an adventurous half-century to guide the West Indians to a seven-wicket victory in the Super Eights clash which has thrown open Group E.

He finished unbeaten on 66, scored from only 36 deliveries, with the winning runs coming in the penultimate over when he lofted a majestic six over extra cover off Zaheer Khan.

Earlier, Bravo claimed four wickets with the ball as reigning champions India recovered from a slow start to set a 154-run target.

West Indies also struggled at the beginning of their innings and Bravo walked to the crease at 42 for two in the eighth over. But his ability to manipulate the ball all around the wicket, married to his awesome striking ability, meant Chris Gayle's team got home with eight balls to spare.

The match was finished in a hurry as Bravo and veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul hit 47 runs in the final 3.4 overs.

Having set up that late dash with a cunning alliance with Lendl Simmons, Bravo made the most of being afforded a life on 27 moments before his third-wicket partner holed out for 44.

A mix-up should have resulted in Bravo being run out by wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni but he failed to gather with the stumps at his mercy. Later in the over, Bravo lofted the first of his three sixes and the second, a steepler over long-off in the 17th over, sent down by fast bowler Ishant Sharma, virtually sealed the result.

Sixteen runs came off that Sharma over and Harbhajan Singh – who bowled a maiden in the powerplay period – was taken for 15 in the next.

So much depends on West Indies captain Gayle in this format but his relative failure – he was out to a skier after launching at off-spinner Yusuf Pathan – proved irrelevant this time.

West Indies now face England's conquerors South Africa today, knowing a victory will put them on the verge of the semi-finals.

Yuvraj Singh had earlier crashed 67 as the Indians recovered from 66 for four in the 13th over.

Yuvraj opened his shoulders to stunning effect during a 64-run stand with Yusuf, which came off just 35 balls.

Yusuf perished in the final over when he picked out Simmons in the deep for 31. But Harbhajan finished the innings in style by finding the boundary with the final three deliveries.

In the earlier match at Lord's, Muttiah Muralitharan decisively struck twice in as many balls as Sri Lanka won a spin showdown against Pakistan.

Muralitharan's double strike in the 16th over of Pakistan's chase was the turning point in a 19-run win. It reduced the Pakistanis to 101 for five, and their position deteriorated rapidly against an impressive Sri Lankan attack.

The margin of victory was not anticipated when Pakistan captain Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq were realigning the pursuit of 151 during a half- century stand for the fourth wicket.

But Misbah pulled one straight to deep midwicket to terminate a contribution of 21, from 28 balls, and the dangerous Shahid Afridi holed out to the same region from the next delivery.

Any lingering hopes for Pakistan were then snuffed out when Khan miscued a slower ball from Lasith Malinga, the very next delivery after bringing up his half-century, and was taken by wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara, despite a collision with Murali chasing down a skier.

Earlier, it took an inspirational display with the ball from wrist- spinner Afridi to restrict Sri Lanka to 150 for seven.