New-look England face resurgent Windies

A new-look England and a resurgent West Indies will battle to become the first two-time winners of cricket’s World Twenty20 in a big-hitting showdown Sunday that promises to rain sixes.

A year after exiting the 50-over World Cup with egg on their face, Eoin Morgan’s England will hope to complete their redemption by outmuscling a West Indies team who are themselves a team reborn.

Inspired by the ultimate game changer Chris Gayle, the men from the Caribbean are hoping to go home with the shortest format’s biggest prize on the same day that their women are also gunning for glory at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens stadium against Australia in an earlier final.

Gayle will be looking to become the first player to crack a century of sixes in T20 internationals, having already smashed a record 98 -- 11 of them in the current tournament.

England meanwhile will hope to add to their tally of 34 sixes in the tournament, more than any other team, underlining their transformation into the game’s great entertainers.

Jason Roy, one of the stars of the new-look England, promised they would come at their opponents “with all guns blazing” and continue in the same aggressive vein that has confounded their old conservative reputation.

“It’s going to be an incredible experience but we are going to play our natural way and the brand of cricket we have have been playing for the last year or so,” said Roy after smacking 78 in just 44 balls in the first semi-final against New Zealand.

England won the 2010 World T20 but they failed to build on that triumph and were widely ridiculed for their demise in 2015 when they lost to every major side in the World Cup.

That embarrassment came a year after their meek exit from the last World T20 in Bangladesh which included a defeat to the Netherlands.

But pundits have been showering praise on Morgan’s team in India, with former skipper Nasser Hussain among those won over by “a side who don’t fear anyone”.

‘Not a one-man show’ -
The criticism heaped on England would have sounded familiar to a West Indies team which has had to put up with brickbats from stars of their heyday in the 1980s when the likes of Viv Richards and Malcolm Marshall ruled the world.

But while the Test team is a shadow of its former self, the West Indies’ limited overs side has been a formidable unit for some time and won the 2012 World T20 in Sri Lanka.

Gayle, ridiculed for a clumsy bid to chat up an Australian TV reporter in January, has long been their dangerman.

But the 36-year-old, who could be playing in his last major tournament, has failed to notch up a decent score in his last two innings after earlier setting the competition alight with an unbeaten century against England.

Unsung sluggers such as Lendl Simmons, Jonathan Charles and Andre Russell have instead come to the party, with India’s spin bowlers the latest to be carted around the park in Thursday’s second semi-final.

“England will certainly be aware that it is certainly not a one-man show in this team,” Simmons said afterwards.

Following their early setback against the Windies, England gave themselves a major confidence injection by chasing down a record 230 target against South Africa in their next game.

And after sometimes nervy wins against Afghanistan and holders Sri Lanka, England halted the previously unbeaten New Zealand juggernaut in its tracks in New Delhi.

Joe Root, who has scored 195 runs in five matches, has been the pick of their batsmen.

But England have also relied heavily on all-rounder Ben Stokes whose near-perfect death bowling has taken them over the line in crunch ties.

The West Indies have also shown their metal at the death, with Simmons and Russell completing their chase in Mumbai with two balls to spare, reaching their total with a six.

Teams:
England (probable): Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler (wkt), Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey

West Indies (probable): Darren Sammy (capt), Samuel Badree, Sulieman Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles, Lendl Simmons, Chris Gayle, Denesh Ramdin, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels.

Windies meet defending champs Aussie women

A confident looking West Indies will need to be at the top of their game if they are to outdo three-time defending champions Australia in the final of the Women’s World Twenty 20 at the Eden Gardens here on Sunday.
The Australian team, popularly known as the Southern Stars, have been unstoppable since their inaugural win in 2010. On their road to the final, Australia escaped a scare from arch-rivals England and managed a five-run victory in the semi-finals.

Their captain Meg Lanning has been their leading run-scorer in the competition with 149 runs. She played a crucial role in the semis with a 50-ball 55 to take Australia to a competitive total of 132/6.

What was impressive for Australia was the fact that other players chipped in too. They were provided a strong start from the openers as Alyssa Healy and Elyse Villani knit a brisk 41-run partnership.

“We’ve been pleased with our squad of 15 and our overall performance. I disagree that we relied heavily on one player. We’ve chased low totals.

We’ve really benefited from the way Elyse Villani has kicked into gears and taken the game away in the opening overs,” Australian vice-captain Alex Blackwell had told the media here.

“You can’t ignore the impact of someone like Alyssa Healy and the way she took on Katherine... Small contributions can really be of high impact.

Obviously Meg Lanning has been a real rock for us throughout. We’ve got plenty of players around. Ellyse Perry has been instrumental in our batting order in the recent years.”

The wicket at the Eden Gardens is likely to spin, and therefore leg spinner Kristen Beams will look to be at the top of her game here along with left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen. The duo can easily have the West Indies under pressure if the wicket does offer purchase.

Megan Schutt and Rene Farrell with their slower deliveries may also be a handful in such conditions.

West Indies on the other hand, have nothing to lose. This is their first time in the final and they are going into it a confident side.

“We are very excited. It is our first final. So we need to stay focused and be calm. We will have to go out there and fight it out,” West Indies captain Stafanie Taylor said at the pre match media conference.

Taylor with 187 runs from five matches has been the consistent performer for the Windies and her side will again look upto her to deliver in the finals.

Deandra Dottin, Healey Matthews and Shaquana Quintyne have also come good in the ongoing tournament and skipper Taylor will hope the team plays to their potential and delivers against the inform Australians.

ICC WT20: Lendl Simmons overshadows Virat Kohli as Windies set up final date with England

Title aspirants India were on Thursday tonight knocked out of the ICC World Twenty20 with a heartbreaking seven-wicket defeat at the hands of West Indies, who capitalised on the home team's sloppy bowling display in a high-scoring semifinal showdown here.

Put into bat, India rode on in-form Virat Kohli's blazing unbeaten 47-ball 89 to notch up a challenging 192 for two, but the spirited Caribbean chased down the total and made the final with two balls to spare, leaving the capacity crowd at the Wankhede Stadium completely stunned.

India had themselves to blame for the debacle as they made costly blunders while bowling and allowed Lendl Simmons three lives.

Simmons, playing for the first time in the tournament in place of injured Andre Fletcher, made full use of the lives to smash his way to a scintillating unbeaten 82 off 51 balls.

2012 winners West Indies will now take on England, champions in 2010, in the summit showdown at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday.

Simmons, caught off no ball twice in his innings that contained 5 sixes and 7 fours, led the West Indian charge.

India were left ruing the let-offs to Simmons due to overstepping committed, first by Ravichandran Ashwin when the batsman was on 18 in the seventh over, and then Hardik Pandya when he was on 58 in the 15th over with West Indies cruising at 132 for 3.

Simmons put on a vital partnership of 97 runs in 62 balls with another youngster Johnson Charles (52 in 36 balls) after West Indies had been rocked by the dismissals of swashbuckling opener Chris Gayle (5) and Marlon Samuels (8) with just 19 on board.

Charles departed after striking 2 sixes and 7 fours, leaving Simmons and Andre Russell (43 not out in 20 balls) to take the West Indies to the victory mark, with the latter striking two successive fours off Kohli's last over. The unfinished stand between Simmons and Charles, who clobbered four sixes and three fours, produced 80 in 40 balls.

This was the third time in four clashes in the tournament's history that Windies had got the better of India who had won their earlier clash two years ago in Bangladesh on way to finishing runner-up to Sri Lanka.

India's total was their second-highest in the tournament's history.

In reply, West Indies buckled under pressure in front of a crowd of over 32,000 and slumped to 6 for 1 and 19 for two before Simmons, Charles and Russell turned things around to dash India's hopes.

West Indies made a disastrous start when the batsman they rely upon most to chase big totals, Chris Gayle, departed in the second over -- castled by a swinging yorker from Jasprit Bumrah as the left handed batsman played across.

It was a very big blow for the West Indies as it was here that Gayle played a whirlwind knock of 100 not out with 11 towering sixes to help the team chase down 182 against England in their tournament opener.

More trouble followed for Windies when Marlon Samuels scooped up a dolly to mid-off off Nehra as he tried to make room to play on the off side.

But luck smiled on the West Indians soon after the power play ended with the score on 44 for 2 as Simmons was caught while slashing a wide ball from Ashwin at backward point by Bumrah. But TV replays showed that Ashwin had overstepped and the batsman came back to resume his innings.

This was a major break for the Windies as Simmons, familiar with the conditions as member of local IPL franchise Mumbai Indians, and Johnson Charles went about rebuilding the innings.

Charles was harsh on Ashwin, carting the off spinner over mid-wicket for a six and a four in successive balls to banish him off the attack.

He was lucky in the next over, the 10th, when he top- edged Hardik Pandya for a six over third man and then swung the bowler to the mid wicket region for a four to help the team reach 84 for 2 at the half way stage of the innings, in comparison to India's 86 for one at the same stage.

And Ravindra Jadeja too could not keep down the runs after replacing Ashwin as Simmons swung him over mid-wicket into the stands for a maximum and then drove him for a four to covers.

Charles drove Pandya for a four to long-on to bring up the team's 100 in the 12th over and his own 50 in 30 balls and the Indians looked worried with their attack looking ragged on the batsman-friendly pitch.

After Jadeja gave away 12 runs in his third over, Dhoni -- in a surprise move - brought on Kohli and the Delhi star gave the much-needed breakthrough off his first ball to send back Charles -- caught at long off by Rahane to arrest the threatening third-wicket stand in the 14th over after it realised 97 runs in 62 balls.

Windies had another slice of luck when Simmons was caught off a no-ball from Pandya's bowling at extra cover and celebrated the escape by hitting the following free-hit for a huge six over mid-wicket to help Windies reach 138 for 3, 54 runs adrift of the Indian score.

Simmons and Russell then continued the good work and swung the match Windies way with their unconquered partnership.

For India, Nehra was the pick of the bowlers with 1 for 24. The others were very expensive, with Jadeja and Pandya giving away 91 runs in eight overs.

Earlier, a recast top-order clicked in unison for the home team with Kohli producing yet another masterclass in making his third half century of the tournament, an unbeaten 89, as India powered their way to 192 for 2.

Kohli, who masterminded India's entry into the semifinals with a brilliant 82 not out against Australia at Mohali in their last Super 10 game, was in his element as he struck 11 fours and a six in his knock to help India take full advantage of a fine start given by Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane.

India were off to a sound beginning as their new opening combination of Sharma (43 in 31 balls) and Rahane (40 in 35 balls), in for the out-of-form Shikhar Dhawan, put on 62 runs.

Rahane and Kohli then added 66 runs for the second wicket before the latter and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni 9 (15 not out) put on 64 in 27 balls for the unfinished third wicket to give the West Indies a challenging total to chase.

World Twenty20 2016: West Indies stun India to reach final

ICC World Twenty20 semi-final, Mumbai:

India 192-2 (20 overs): Kohli 89* (47)

West Indies 196-3 (19.4 overs): Simmons 82 (51), Charles 52 (36)

West Indies won by seven wickets

Scorecard

West Indies will meet England in the final of the World Twenty20 on Sunday after stunning hosts India with a seven-wicket win in the semi-final.

India looked in complete control after Virat Kohli's unbeaten 89 took them to 192-2 and Chris Gayle fell for five.

But Lendl Simmons, who was twice caught off no-balls and held on the boundary only for Ravindra Jadeja to step on the rope, clubbed 82 from 51 balls.

Then Andre Russell won it with a six with two balls to spare in Mumbai.

West Indies, champions in 2012, follow their women's team into the final after they defeated New Zealand earlier on Thursday.

The meeting with 2010 winners England in Kolkata will see a two-time World T20 champion crowned for the first time, while India's exit extends the wait for a host nation to lift the trophy.

ICC World Twenty20: 2nd semi-final, India vs West Indies - Preview

Chris Gayle is determined to grab the World Twenty20 limelight back from in-form Virat Kohli when the West Indies and India clash in a mouthwatering semi-final in Mumbai on Thursday.

 

With the flat wicket at Mumbai`s Wankhede Stadium a dream for batsmen, the last-four showdown between the hosts and 2012 champions is set to be a battle of the big-hitters.

"I am looking to show what Chris Gayle is," Gayle warned ominously on Tuesday.

"I have only batted twice but this (semi-final) is a perfect opportunity to actually start the tournament and try and pick up where I left off, get a big one for the team and put them in a winning position," he added.

The 36-year-old described Kohli, who is the top run-scorer left in the tournament with 184, as a "world beater" but insisted neither he nor the West Indies were concerned about individual players.

"Chris Gayle will always be positive. It does not matter which bowler is bowling against Chris Gayle," he said.

"Chris Gayle would attack. That`s the nature of T20 cricket. And that`s the nature of Chris Gayle.

"No names, just cricket ball, beat it as hard as possible," Gayle added.India are looking to take another step on their quest to become the first team to win the World T20 twice, after their triumph in the inaugural 2007 edition, and the first on home soil.

They are also bidding to give inspirational 34-year-old captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni -- who is though to be close to announcing his retirement -- the chance to out on a high.

India were stunned by New Zealand in their first match but picked up three straight wins to qualify second from Group Two.

By contrast, the Windies won their opening three games to top Group One before being shocked by minnows Afghanistan.

Gayle believes India have the momentum but warned that "anything was possible".

"India are the favourites. It is always going to be difficult to beat them here. But the West Indies are ready for an upset," he said.

The Windies preparations were dealt a blow with the announcement that Andre Fletcher, whose unbeaten 84 fired his team to victory over Sri Lanka, had been ruled out the rest of the tournament with a hamstring injury.

Fletcher has been replaced by Lendl Simmons, who gets a second chance to take part having been originally named in the squad but having to withdraw on the eve of the tournament with a bad back.

India meanwhile are sweating on the fitness of left-handed batsman Yuvraj Singh, who picked up an ankle injury against the Aussies. Ajinkya Rahane and Manish Pandey stand ready to replace him.

"I don`t know whether we should make changes but it is possible, depending on the wicket," Dhoni said earlier this week.

Teams

India (from): Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Ravichandran Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Shikhar Dhawan, Harbhajan Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, Pawan Negi, Ashish Nehra, Hardik Pandya, Ajinkya Rahane, Suresh Raina, Rohit Sharma, Yuvraj Singh.

West Indies (from): Darren Sammy (captain), Samuel Badree, Sulieman Benn, Carlos Brathwaite, Dwayne Bravo, Johnson Charles, Lendl Simmons, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Ashley Nurse, Denesh Ramdin, Andre Russell, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor, Evin Lewis.

Aussie women reach WT20 final

Captain Meg Lanning’s aggressive half century helped holders Australia reach their fourth consecutive women’s World Twenty20 final Wednesday after beating traditional rivals England by five runs in the first semi-final.

Put in to bat on a hot sunny afternoon in New Delhi, Australia posted a competitive 132 for six after Lanning’s 50-ball 55 before their bowlers then restricted England to 127 for seven.

Openers Alyssa Healy and Elyse Villani laid a decent platform for Lanning to build on as England bowlers found it hard to contain the steady flow of boundaries.

Healy (25) and Villani (19) played useful cameos but their departure slowed the Aussie charge at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium.
Lanning then took control, starting off cautiously and then changing gear to give the England bowlers a hard time.

Lanning, who led Australia to World T20 glory in 2014, registered her eighth T20 fifty as she hit six boundaries.
England tried to claw their way back into the game with some sharp fielding, including two run-outs from direct hits in the outfield.

Natalie Sciver had Alex Blackwell trudging back to the dugout after hitting the stumps from deep midwicket, while another direct hit from long-on saw the back of Lanning.

England’s reply got off to a healthy start as skipper Charlotte Edwards and Tammy Beaumont put on a 67-run opening stand.

Australia however kept their cool, and made the breakthrough when leg-spinner Kristen Beams took the prized wicket of Edwards (31).

Beaumont (32) hung around for a while before falling to medium-pacer Megan Schutt in the 14th overs as the wheels started to come off the England chase.

Wicktkeeper-batswoman Sarah Taylor did try to inject life into the chase but her departure for 21 was a major blow to England’s chances of repeating their 2009 title-winning prformance.

Down the order, Katherine Brunt did hit a boundary and a six to raise some hopes but Schutt got her cleaned up to shut the doors on England.
Australia will meet the winner of the second semi-final between West Indies and New Zealand in the title showdown in Kolkata on Sunday.

Kiwi media rue loss to ‘Frankenstein’ England

New Zealand media have likened Eoin Morgan’s England team to Frankenstein’s monster, saying they turned the Black Caps’ own game plan against them to win the World Twenty20 semi-final on Wednesday.

While acknowledging England were the better

team and deserved the seven-wicket win in New Delhi, Kiwi pundits said the seeds of the result were sown when the sides met in Wellington last year at the Cricket World Cup.

In that match, eventual finalists New Zealand trounced England by eight wickets, prompting Morgan’s men to review their style and emulate the Black Caps’ aggressive tactics.

“There was an element of Frankenstein to New Zealand’s departure from the Twenty20 World Cup,” Fairfax New Zealand’s Duncan Johnstone wrote.

“This was an England team that the Black Caps turned into a monster. And the monster came back to destroy them.”

The New Zealand Herald’s Andrew Alderson said England also mimicked the Black Caps by taking the emotion out of their cricket, delivering “a clinical dissection which wouldn’t have looked amiss in an operating theatre”.

“If the Black Caps could be deemed ‘the masters’, their apprentices trumped them,” he wrote.

He added that “England have morphed into a side with swagger and chutzpah”, since their Wellington humiliation, rating them a good chance of winning the decider on Sunday against either India or the West Indies.

Johnstone said the heavy loss was a “limp” end to a campaign that saw the Black Caps cruise through the group stages undefeated, including wins over Australia, India and Pakistan.

The New Zealanders have shown they can advance deep into limited-overs tournaments but are yet to reach the next level and win a 50-over or T20 World Cup.

However, Kane Williamson proved himself an able captain for the post-Brendon McCullum era and the promising young spin duo of Ish Sodhi and Mitchell Santner excelled.

Former Black caps paceman Simon Doull said Williamson’s men exceeded expectations, finally showing they could play in Indian conditions, and should not be judged too harshly.

“We’ve had a good tournament and adapted to conditions really well, I don’t think this is a failure,” he told Radio Sport.

“Today’s game will be disappointing, but if you’d told me at the start of the tournament that we’ll go there and make the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup on the sub continent, I’d have said ‘no way’.”

England need 154 to advance

Colin Munro hit 46 off 32 balls as New Zealand made 153 for 8 in the first semifinal of the World T20 on Wednesday.

Winning the toss, England skipper Eoin Morgan opted to field first, something that was welcomed by the Kiwis as Kane Williamson wanted to bat first as well.

Guptill made a good start, but David Willey stopped him on 15, with 17 runs on the scoreboard. Williamson and Munro then made 74 in the second wicket partnership as they looked well on course for a big score.

Williamson hit 32 in 28 balls thanks to three fours and a six while Munro slammed seven fours and a six in his vital innings.
But following the duo's departure, the middle-order failed to build on the top-order's contribution.

Corey Anderson hit 28 off 23 deliveries but the England bowlers were striking every now and then to unsettle the Kiwis' advances.

Ben Stokes was the most successful bowler, picking up three wickets for 26 while each of MM Ali, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett and David Willey grabbed one apiece.

Stokes gave only three runs in the last over, which may prove vital come the end of the game.

The English team were unchanged while their opponents made two changes -- Martin Guptill and Adam Milne coming in for Henry Nichols and Nathan McCullum.

England take Roy ride to final

                                                                     Roy. Jason Roy.
If he decides to introduce himself this way, perhaps no Englishman would mind today. Why would they? The English opener slammed a magnificent 78 off just 44 balls as England downed high-flying Kiwis by seven wickets in the first semifinal of the World T20 on Wednesday. And into the final. The English team are just a match away from their second title, as Eoin Morgan and team aim to emulate the class of 2010 when they lifted the trophy at Australia's expense.

Back to the game, no one expected the Kiwis to be tamed this way. A team that won all the group matches with embarrassing ease. And when New Zealand posted 153 for 8 thanks to Colin Munro's 46 off 32 balls, no one guessed a seven-wicket victory.

Roy took 16 off Corey Anderson's first over and that set their chase's tone. No bowler did he spare, hitting the ball all around the park, smashing 11 fours and two sixes.

When Ish Sodhi bowled him, England were on 110, with the match almost won. Sodhi pinned Eoin Morgan in the next ball, but Joe Root and Joss Buttler completed the formalities.

Root made 27 off 22 deliveries, but Buttler was brutal, hitting 32 in just 17 balls with two fours and three sixes.

Winning the toss, England skipper Eoin Morgan opted to field first, something that was welcomed by the Kiwis as Kane Williamson wanted to bat first as well.

Guptill made a good start, but David Willey stopped him on 15, with 17 runs on the scoreboard. Williamson and Munro then made 74 in the second wicket partnership as they looked well on course for a big score. Williamson hit 32 in 28 balls thanks to three fours and a six while Munro slammed seven fours and a six in his vital innings.

But following the duo's departure, the middle-order failed to build on the top-order's contribution.

Corey Anderson hit 28 off 23 deliveries but the England bowlers were striking every now and then to unsettle the Kiwis' advances.

Ben Stokes was the most successful bowler, picking up three wickets for 26 while each of MM Ali, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett and David Willey grabbed one apiece.

James Roy was duly adjudged the man-of-the-match. Sorry, Jason I mean.

Gayle-Kohli bout, bigger picture of T20 semi

When hosts India meet West Indies in the semi-final of the 2016 World T20 on Thursday evening, Chris Gayle and Virat Kohli come to the limelight, rightly or wrongly.

Despite the failure of in-form players in bit match on many occasions in the past, cricket lovers look at star performers and hope for a ‘Veni vidi vici’ show from their favourite players.

So, both Gayle and Kohli are under pressure of both repeating their performance meeting the expectations in themselves and among the fans.
Mumbai’s Wankhede stadium is expected to offer a lot of runs for the teams after the venue saw the record chase by England of South Africa’s 229 runs during the super-10 encounter of this very tournament.

MS Dhoni has fixed a target of winning the World T20 for the second time, as the first team to do so.

Virat Kohli showed a magic performance that sent home Australia. Is it then Kohli who is going to dominate the match and win for his country?
“No not really, have you ever heard of Chris Gayle?” said West Indies captain Darren Sammy.

Nobody knows who is going to become the star performer in the big match.

However, the head-to-head record between the sides in the history of T20 is a tie -- 2-2.
Statistics say India played two T20 semifinals before and never lost any of them. West Indies lost 2 semifinals out of three they played in the tournament’s history.

Du Plessis fined for dissent

South African skipper Faf du Plessis was fined Tuesday by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for showing dissent during his side's win over Sri Lanka at the World Twenty20.

Du Plessis was fined 50 percent of his match fee for "occupying the crease for a period of time" after being given out lbw, before leaving the field while shaking his head in Monday night's match in New Delhi.

It was the captain's second fine for dissent in less than a year. He faces suspension if he commits a third offence before October, 12 months since the first, the ICC said in a statement on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old, who has accepted the sanction, made 31 before being trapped lbw during South Africa's consolation victory over Sri Lanka in the group stages.

The Proteas had already failed to reach the semi-finals going into Monday's match, their hopes once again dashed of winning a first World T20 title.

New Zealand take on England in the first semi-final on Wednesday in New Delhi, while India play the West Indies on Thursday in Mumbai in the second.

Gayle warns of upset

Chris Gayle lauded Virat Kohli as a "world beater" on Tuesday but warned that the West Indies were ready to upset hosts India in their World Twenty20 semi-final this week.

Kohli has excelled so far at the tournament and hit an unbeaten 82 to lead India to an improbable victory over Australia in a do-or-die final group match on Sunday.Chris Gayle lauded Virat Kohli as a "world beater" on Tuesday but warned that the West Indies were ready to upset hosts India in their World Twenty20 semi-final this week.

Kohli has excelled so far at the tournament and hit an unbeaten 82 to lead India to an improbable victory over Australia in a do-or-die final group match on Sunday.

The 27-year-old's exploits led Indian great Kapil Dev to describe him as "a genius with the bat", while some commentators even went as far as drawing parallels with the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.

Big-hitting Gayle said the form of Kohli, who is the highest scorer of players still in the tournament with 184 runs, was "no surprise" and jokingly urged him not to fire on all cylinders on Thursday.

"I have said it over the years that he is going to be the world beater he is today," Gayle told reporters in Mumbai ahead of the last-four clash at the Wankhede Stadium.

"I am hoping, please don't fire, Virat. He can still get runs but for a losing cause. We'll be happy with that as well," joked Gayle, 36.

Kohli also steered his side to victory over arch-rivals Pakistan earlier in the tournament with a composed half century, but Gayle stressed that the Windies wouldn't direct their efforts solely towards India's talisman.

"We are not going to focus on only Virat, there are so many match-winners there and anyone of them can actually fire on any particular day," he said.

"It is very difficult to pinpoint one particular player in the Indian team. It is a very good all-round team, a good fielding team as well.

"That's why India are the favourites. It is always going to be difficult to beat them here. But like I said, West Indies are ready for an upset," Gayle added.

The destructive left-hander smashed a 47-ball century that included 11 sixes in the Windies' opening-match win over England, but he has failed to reach those heights since as the Caribbean team topped Group One.

A hamstring injury meant Gayle didn't bat against Sri Lanka, while he only made four runs against South Africa before being rested for the defeat to Afghanistan.

But Gayle said he was "mentally prepared" for whatever India have to throw at him as the Windies seek to continue their bid for a second World T20 title after their 2012 triumph.

They will have to overcome India without top-order batsman Andre Fletcher, however.

The 28-year-old, who scored 84 not out in the West Indies' win over Sri Lanka, has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament after injuring his right hamstring in Sunday's match against Afghanistan.

He has been replaced in the squad by Lendl Simmons, the International Cricket Council said in a statement late Tuesday.

The 27-year-old's exploits led Indian great Kapil Dev to describe him as "a genius with the bat", while some commentators even went as far as drawing parallels with the legendary Sachin Tendulkar.

Big-hitting Gayle said the form of Kohli, who is the highest scorer of players still in the tournament with 184 runs, was "no surprise" and jokingly urged him not to fire on all cylinders on Thursday.

"I have said it over the years that he is going to be the world beater he is today," Gayle told reporters in Mumbai ahead of the last-four clash at the Wankhede Stadium.

"I am hoping, please don't fire, Virat. He can still get runs but for a losing cause. We'll be happy with that as well," joked Gayle, 36.

Kohli also steered his side to victory over arch-rivals Pakistan earlier in the tournament with a composed half century, but Gayle stressed that the Windies wouldn't direct their efforts solely towards India's talisman.

"We are not going to focus on only Virat, there are so many match-winners there and anyone of them can actually fire on any particular day," he said.

"It is very difficult to pinpoint one particular player in the Indian team. It is a very good all-round team, a good fielding team as well.

"That's why India are the favourites. It is always going to be difficult to beat them here. But like I said, West Indies are ready for an upset," Gayle added.

The destructive left-hander smashed a 47-ball century that included 11 sixes in the Windies' opening-match win over England, but he has failed to reach those heights since as the Caribbean team topped Group One.

A hamstring injury meant Gayle didn't bat against Sri Lanka, while he only made four runs against South Africa before being rested for the defeat to Afghanistan.

But Gayle said he was "mentally prepared" for whatever India have to throw at him as the Windies seek to continue their bid for a second World T20 title after their 2012 triumph.

They will have to overcome India without top-order batsman Andre Fletcher, however.

The 28-year-old, who scored 84 not out in the West Indies' win over Sri Lanka, has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament after injuring his right hamstring in Sunday's match against Afghanistan.

He has been replaced in the squad by Lendl Simmons, the International Cricket Council said in a statement late Tuesday.

Kane hails 'fearless' Kiwis

They are the nearly men of world cricket, with a reputation for faltering at the business end of tournaments.

But a year on from the pain of losing the 50 over World Cup final, skipper Kane Williamson says his unbeaten New Zealand team are a relaxed and fearless unit as they hone in on Twenty20 cricket's biggest prize.

"At the moment the team is very relaxed, going about their business," Williamson told reporters on Tuesday on the eve of New Zealand's World Twenty20 semi-final clash against England in New Delhi.

"Up until now we have been playing fearless cricket and smart cricket and that's what we will try and do again and hope that holds us in good stead in terms of a result.

"But at the same time we are up against a very strong England team that will be trying their best to win the game. So we are looking forward to it. It's going to be exciting."

Williamson took over on the eve of the tournament in India as New Zealand's captain after the retirement of their talisman Brendon McCullum, who went some way to rewriting that reputation for under-achievement.

While New Zealand have never won either of cricket's two major international trophies, they had made it to the semi-finals on seven occasions before McCullum took over.

But although they went one better last year by reaching the final of the World Cup, there was more heartache to come when they were steamrolled by Michael Clarke's Australian team at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

- Favourites tag -
Williamson insisted that defeat was not playing on the team's mind but he also resisted talk that the Black Caps' wins over India, Australia and Pakistan in the group stages put them in the rare position of favourites.

"We have made one final and lost, but we don't look at it that closely," said Williamson, who has been one of the stand-out performers in New Zealand's perfect run to the semis.

"I think it's almost impossible in T20 cricket to give someone the favourites tag. It's so fickle in its nature that on any given day the team that plays the best wins and England can beat anyone."

While England are playing their third match in a row at Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, it will be the fifth different venue in five tournament matches for the Black Caps.

To date, New Zealand's spinners have taken to the different surfaces like ducks to water and have been so potent that both of the team's main fast bowlers -- Trent Boult and Tim Southee --- are yet to get a game.

Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi were the top wicket-takers in the group stages while even part-time medium-pacer Grant Elliott weighed in with figures of three for 12, bowling mainly cutters, in the last match against Bangladesh.

"The spinners have been brilliant on surfaces that have suited spin bowling," said Williamson, while holding back from confirming that all his spinners would again start the game.

"We are not quite sure at this stage what to expect. We have seen a few games played on it recently, but we still have to have a good look at the surface and decide.

"There are number of world class bowlers that haven't played a game, still been brilliant in the group and understand that we do the best we can in picking the side for the surface and opposition to try give ourselves the best chance. We have got all 15 players on board with that."

Apart from the question mark over whether off-spinner Nathan McCullum will keep his place, New Zealand are expected to recall key batsman Martin Guptill who was rested for their last group match against Bangladesh.

England look to make 'home' advantage count

England hope in-form batsman Joe Root and "home" advantage can make the difference against undefeated New Zealand in the first World Twenty20 semi-final on Wednesday.

Eoin Morgan's team will be playing their third match in a row in New Delhi, but for the nomadic Black Caps it will be their fifth different venue in five tournament matches.

"We have become quite settled in Delhi," Morgan said at a pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

"We have got fantastic support, a fantastic following and actually we have grown used to the pitch a lot more than probably the first game that we were here."

Despite having to adapt to so many different surfaces, New Zealand's formidable spin attack has so far thrived in Indian conditions.

The Kiwis have won the toss, batted first and used their spin bowlers to great effect to defend totals in all four of their group matches.

But Root has also shown his class on different pitches in the tournament, enhancing his reputation as one of the game's classiest acts.

"Root is a class player and he is one of the best around in all three formats of the game at the moment," allrounder Ben Stokes said of his 25-year-old team-mate.

Only India's Virat Kohli of all the players to reach the semi-finals has scored more runs than Root's 168, which included a match-winning 83 against South Africa.

His knock against the Proteas fired England to a successful record chase of 230 and got their bid for a second World T20 title back on track after an opening-match defeat to the West Indies.

The 2010 champions then squeaked past minnows Afghanistan and defending champions Sri Lanka to finish second in Group One on six points behind the West Indies.

- English 'character' -
England were reduced to 85 for 7 against Afghanistan before eventually winning by 15 runs and then Angelo Mathews' valiant 73 almost saw England come unstuck in a nervous 10-run triumph over Sri Lanka.

Morgan said he expected another "tough game of cricket" but that the earlier matches had shown his team would not buckle under pressure.

"I think it shows the amount of character that we have within the group," he said.

Morgan said that while he felt excited, he did not feel as if he was on the verge of a world cup final.

"We are not getting too far ahead of ourselves as we have got a really tough game against a strong New Zealand side," he said.

"They've probably played the best cricket so far in the group stages and we're going to have to come up with a very strong game of cricket tomorrow to beat New Zealand."

New Zealand, who were unfancied coming into the tournament following the retirement of former captain Brendon McCullum, have yet to put a foot wrong on their travels since stunning favourites India in their first game.

Captain Kane Williamson has deployed his spinners to supreme effect as the Kiwis became the only side to progress unbeaten from the Super 10 stage, despite a schedule that took them to Nagpur, Dharamsala, Mohali and Kolkata.

"We have done a lot of travel but the boys have been great and have embraced the schedule and the pitches," said Williamson, 25.

Spinners Mitchell Santner and Ish Sodhi have shared 17 wickets as their two most experienced pacemen -- Tim Southee and Trent Boult -- warmed the substitutes' bench.

Teams

England (from): Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Liam Dawson, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, Reece Topley, James Vince, David Willey

New Zealand (from): Kane Williamson (captain), Corey Anderson, Trent Boult, Martin Guptill, Grant Elliott, Colin Munro, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Adam Milne, Henry Nicholls, Luke Ronchi, Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor

Women's World Twenty20 2016: West Indies beat India to reach semis

ICC Women's World Twenty20 Group B, Mohali:

West Indies 114-8 (20 overs): Taylor 46, Dottin 45; Kaur 4-23, Patil 3-16

India 111-9 (20 overs): Patil 26, Goswami 25; Dottin 3-16

West Indies won by three runs

Scorecard & standings

Deandra Dottin starred with bat and ball as West Indies booked their place in the semi-finals of the Women's World Twenty20 with a narrow win over India.

Dottin (45) and Stafanie Taylor (47) helped the Windies make 114-8.

Jhulan Goswami's rapid 26 from 19 balls left India needing 10 from the last over, bowled by Dottin (3-16), but they fell short on 111-9 in Mohali.

The Windies, Group B runners-up, will face unbeaten New Zealand in Thursday's second semi-final in Mumbai.

England, who top the group with four wins from four after thrashing Pakistan in Sunday's later game, will meet Australia on Wednesday in Dehli.

The Deandra Dottin show

Renowned as one of the biggest hitters in women's cricket, Dottin did not clear the ropes on this occasion but the Barbados all-rounder's 45 from 40 balls, including five fours, provided the acceleration they required to set a competitive total.

Only captain Taylor, who added 77 with Dottin for the fourth wicket, offered support as the other seven Windies batters contributed just 18 runs between them against India's five-pronged spin attack.

India lost captain and batting kingpin Mithali Raj to the first legal delivery of the innings, but Dottin's right-arm seam was introduced for the fourth over and she took a wicket with her first ball to remove Veda Krishnamurthy, who had smashed four early boundaries.

Although India were already eliminated, Goswami and Anuja Patil (26) threatened a consolation victory in front of a growing crowd arriving early for the India-Australia men's game, Dottin held her nerve to pick up two wickets and a run-out in the last over.

World Twenty20: WI top group despite shock Afghanistan loss

ICC World Twenty20 Super 10s, Group 1, Nagpur

Afghanistan 123-7 (20 overs): Najib 48, Badree 3-14, Russell 2-23

West Indies 117-8 (20 overs): Bravo 28, Rashid 2-26, Nabi 2-26

Afghanistan won by six runs

Scorecard and standings

West Indies set up a semi-final with Australia or India despite suffering a shock six-run defeat by Afghanistan.

Batting first, Afghanistan recovered from 56-5 to post 123-7, with Najib Zadran hitting a composed unbeaten 48.

West Indies, who had won their first three matches, slumped from 79-3 to 117-8 to hand Afghanistan their biggest ever win, but still top Group 1.

The result confirms that England will play New Zealand in Delhi on Wednesday in their semi-final.

West Indies - who rested Chris Gayle for this game - will play their semi-final in Mumbai on Thursday.

Afghanistan return home having lost their first three games at this stage, but they will be buoyed by their first ever victory over a Test-playing side other than Bangladesh or Zimbabwe.

Afghanistan claim their biggest scalp

It was a fully deserved win for Asghar Stanikzai's side, who had given South Africa and England major scares in their two previous matches.

They had failed to capitalise on reducing England to 56-6, but this was initially a much less promising performance as they lost early wickets to the spin of Samuel Badree and Sulieman Benn.

However, from 76-5 after 15 overs, they came to life, with Zadran swatting four fours and a six to give them something to bowl at.

On the same Nagpur pitch where New Zealand defended 126 against India, Afghanistan - playing four spinners - were always in the game.

After three early wickets, a partnership of 41 between Dwayne Bravo and Denesh Ramdin seemed to have rescued West Indies, but when Ramdin was out stumped, Afghanistan seized their chances, with Mohammed Nabi taking two wickets and bowling a nerveless final over to seal victory.

However, with only 10 teams due to participate at the 2019 World Cup, this could be the last we see of Afghanistan in a major tournament for some time.

World Twenty20 2016: England hold on to reach semi-finals

ICC World Twenty20, Group 1, Delhi:

England 171-4 (20 overs): Buttler 66* (37), Roy 42 (39)

Sri Lanka 161-8 (20 overs): Mathews 73* (54), Jordan 4-28

England won by 10 runs

Scorecard and standings

England held on to reach the semi-finals of the World Twenty20 with a 10-run win over Sri Lanka in Delhi.

Sri Lanka looked beaten after they were reduced to 15-4 in reply to England's 171-4, in which Jos Buttler plundered 66 not out from 37 balls.

But captain Angelo Mathews hit five sixes in an unbeaten 54-ball 73.

Chris Jordan took two wickets in the 19th over and, with 15 required off the 20th, Ben Stokes' yorkers sealed a likely tie against New Zealand.

Eoin Morgan's side will meet the Kiwis in Delhi on Wednesday if West Indies record an expected win against Afghanistan on Sunday.

If not, and West Indies' net run-rate drops below England's, they will play hosts India or Australia on Thursday.

Mathews makes England sweat

Sri Lanka looked all but beaten when their top four were removed inside the first three overs of the chase.

But Mathews remained, rebuilding with Chamara Kapugedera, with the skipper offering a very difficult chance to a flying Morgan at cover when on 30.

That moment, with nearly 12 runs per over needed from the last nine, was the signal for Mathews to launch his assault on England's slow bowlers.

Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali were smashed for a combined 63 from four overs, including eight sixes.

Women's World Twenty20 2016: Sri Lanka bow out by beating South Africa

ICC Women's World Twenty20, Group A, Bangalore:

Sri Lanka 114-7 (20 overs): Atapattu 52, Kapp 2-17, Luus 2-20

South Africa 104-7 (20 overs): Chetty 26, Van Niekerk 24

Sri Lanka won by 10 runs

Scorecard and standings

Sri Lanka bowed out of the Women's World Twenty20 with a 10-run win over South Africa, with both teams already eliminated from semi-final contention.

Captain Chamari Atapattu hit a crucial 52 as Sri Lanka stuttered to 114-7.

South Africa looked to be coasting in Bangalore as Dane van Niekerk (24) and Trisha Chetty (26) put on 50 for the first wicket inside nine overs.

But from there the Proteas collapsed, losing five wickets for 24 runs, and they fell short, finishing on 104-7.

Neither team advances from Group A, with New Zealand and Australia going through to the semi-finals where they will play West Indies and England respectively.

Virat Kohli: India player a 'genius with the bat', says Kapil Dev

Virat Kohli has been hailed a "genius with the bat" after his superb innings helped India beat Australia to reach the semi-finals of the World Twenty20.

The hosts needed 20 from the last two overs but Kohli struck four boundaries to reach 82 not out from 51 balls, as captain MS Dhoni hit the winning runs.

"Hats off to this genius with a bat," said India legend Kapil Dev.

Indian commentator Prakash Wakankar says Kohli can take over the retired Sachin Tendulkar's status in the team.

• Report and highlights as India beat Australia

Right-handed batsman Kohli is becoming a master of the run chase, averaging 91.80 when India bat second in T20 internationals.

His 184 runs in four matches make him third highest scorer in the tournament so far with an average of 92.

"Virat is becoming the youngest senior statesman for India," Wakankar told BBC Sport. "He is holding the team together, his bravado is speaking through his bat and not his actions, and he seems to be in complete control.

"He is in a zone and can't do anything wrong.

"Virat is a phenomenon in the making as long as he learns from his idol Sachin Tendulkar how to handle the pressure and stay in his own space. He may well be the man who people can look upon as a worthy successor."

India face the West Indies in the semi-final in Mumbai on Thursday at 14:30 BST.

Dev - widely regarded as India's greatest ever fast bowler - took 434 Test wickets and 253 in one day internationals.

"I have always believed that T20 cricket is not just about slamming the ball or indulging in ambitious shots," he said.

"You can play your normal cricket strokes and win your battles against the bowlers. Virat's exhibition proved it."

World Twenty20 2016: Virat Kohli leads India to T20 semi-finals

ICC World Twenty20, Group 2, Mohali,

Australia 160-6 (20 overs): Finch 43 (34), Pandya 2-36

India 161-4 (19.1 overs) : Kohli 82* (51)

India win by six wickets

Scorecard and standings

Virat Kohli's brilliant unbeaten 82 led hosts India to a six-wicket victory over Australia and a place in the semi-finals of the World Twenty20.

Kohli expertly marshalled a chase of 161, taking 32 runs from the last 11 balls he faced to allow MS Dhoni to win it with five balls to spare in Mohali.

Earlier, Australia raced to 50 from only 22 deliveries but were dragged back to 160-6.

India will meet West Indies in the last four in Mumbai on Thursday.

Classy Kohli does it again

Kohli is a master of the run chase - the right-hander averages 91.80 in the second innings of T20 internationals.

Steady Indian progress and the regular fall of wickets left the hosts needing 39 from three overs, the required rate higher than any other point in the innings.

Until then, Kohli had mainly settled for manoeuvring the ball and running hard, but launched his attack on James Faulkner, taking a boundary square either side then carving a six over long-off.

Twenty were still needed from two, only for Kohli to drive, pull and slap four boundaries from the next over delivered by Nathan Coulter-Nile.

All was left was for skipper Dhoni to hit the winning boundary off Faulkner and, in the end, it was not close.

Australia pegged back

For a time at the beginning of their innings, Australia looked set to move out of sight as Usman Khawaja and Aaron Finch punished the wayward bowling of Jasprit Bumrah and Ravichandran Ashwin.

But after Ashish Nehra had Khawaja caught behind, India clawed their way back into the contest through the left-arm spin of Ravi Ashwin and Yuvraj Singh, though Australia will be aggrieved at the decision to give captain Steve Smith caught behind off Yuvraj

Glenn Maxwell was bowled by a slower ball from the returning Bumrah just as he was beginning to look dangerous and the late acceleration did not materialise.

Peter Nevill did take 10 from the last two balls of the innings, the only two he faced, but it was not enough.

India peaking at the right time?

India began the tournament as huge favourites to become the first host nation to win the World T20, but were stunned in a defeat by New Zealand in their opening match.

They then needed a remarkable last-ball victory against Bangladesh, who needed only one run from three deliveries, to stay in the competition.

However, this was their most impressive display so far and, with Kohli in supreme form, they will again be heavily fancied to add to their triumph in the inaugural tournament of 2007.

Peaking at the right time has been vital in previous World T20s - no team has ever gone unbeaten - and India may be doing just that.

What they said

Man of the match Virat Kohli: "This is what you play cricket for. I'm overwhelmed. It was a quarter-final for us, a lot was riding on us playing at home, and with the crowd you want to give them as much entertainment as possible. The positive energy from the people helps push you through."

India captain MS Dhoni: "Kohli has been playing brilliantly over the last three, four years. Every day when you play a big innings you want to improve and learn and that is what he has done. He's very hungry to score runs for the team, but other batsmen will now have to step up - we cannot rely on one. He will feel the pressure slightly less that way. Still we feel we need to step up in our batting."

Australia captain Steve Smith: "I thought 160 was probably around par. It took an incredible innings from Kohli to get India over the line. Batting like that under pressure - he's done it for a long time and he played beautifully again."