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Dew became a deciding factor, believes MS Dhoni

Last updated on Thursday, 31 March, 2016, 09:53 PM

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MS Dhoni felt the conditions made it hard for the spinners © Getty

Spin has been India's potent weapon, more so at home, but the Ravinchandaran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja combo leaked 68 runs in the six overs bowled between them as West Indies successfully chased down 193 to make it to the final of the ICC World Twenty20 2016 on Thursday (March 31). And the disappointed Indian skipper MS Dhoni, in his post-match conference, time and again highlighted the difference dew made during India's 7-wicket loss to the Caribbean side, saying that the conditions in the second innings made it impossible for him to rely on his spinners.

"It was a bad toss to lose. The first few overs when they started batting were fine, but after that there was a considerable amount of dew which meant the spinners couldn't bowl how they would have liked to. It was coming on nicely and the ball was getting wet, so that was the difference between the first innings and second innings.

"The surface had some assistance for the spinners, it was gripping but in the second innings there wasn't much in it for them.. Once the dew comes in, it becomes difficult for them to turn the ball. The seam gets wet and the surface becomes a bit greasy, so it comes onto the bat nicely. I feel we have seen that our spinners do struggle in conditions like these," Dhoni said, acknowledging the difference an early start made to the all-important game.

Ashwin has been, for the longest time, Dhoni's go-to man and the captain summoned him as soon as he could spread the field. However, his two-over spell cost India 20 runs and the offspinner was taken off the attack. Asked whether he was saving him for bowling in death, Dhoni said assessing the game situation, he wasn't planning to re-introduce Ashwin.

"No, it was not on my mind looking at [Andre] Russell and the big hitters, and the amount of purchase there was on offer. That was not the best time for him to bowl. When the wicket is turning I like to take that gamble of keeping a few overs of the spinner so that if needed, I can make him bowl, but if not, I'll waste that one over."

Earlier in the day, much to the surprise of a packed Wankhede, Dhoni dropped Shikhar Dhawan and drafted the local hero Ajinkya Rahane in the opener's slot, the rationale behind which was giving weightage to Rahane's style and familiarity with the conditions over Dhawan's indifferent form.

"Shikhar has been batting quite well but he has not been able to convert. Rahane is he is someone who is quite calm and composed and he knows his responsibility in the team. This is the kind of innings that is expected of him. He isn't someone who is going to bat like Rohit Sharma or Virat Kohli. If you see, someone who is orthodox can give us that platform from where we can launch and score those extra 10-15 runs in the last few overs.

"Both of them are very good but it's just that Shikhar wasn't able to convert starts. In games like these often you want to give the new guy a go... if you see the stats, Ajinkya in the IPL has been among the leading run-scorers as opener. I'm glad that after facing a few deliveries he got a start and did what he does best." Dhoni said, stressing on India's horses for courses policy.

On a flat wicket laden with runs like the one on offer at Wankhede - where 230 has been chased down successfully - it can often derail the thought process of the team batting first, leaving them unsure of what would indeed be a safe score to defend later. The Indian skipper however believes reviewing the game situation from time to time and playing to their strengths has produced results for India, rather than looking at a premeditated score to put on.

"We have to keep reviewing. If you see the Indian brand of cricket, we take one or two overs. We see how the wicket is behaving and according to that we say 'okay, next five overs, let's do this. At the end of this over if we have not lost too many wickets, this is where we should be.'

"And that has been our strength because of which we always get a score that is a par plus. Right from the start if you think about the big hitters and start looking as 210 as a good score, you may end up getting only 160 or 170 and that may not be enough on a wicket like this.

"What we have seen in this format is that nothing is a safe score. We have seen 220, 230 also getting chased, so depending on your strength and the depending on the wicket we say this is the score and make sure we reach there," Dhoni summed up.

India vs Westindies Preview

Preview by Vishaal Loganathan 

It took India two miracles, one in Bangalore against Bangladesh, and the next in Mohali against Australia, to help them book a ticket to the semifinal of the ICC World Twenty20 2016 against West Indies in Mumbai on Thursday (March 31).

West Indies had no need for such miracles. The secured handsome wins against England, South Africa and Sri Lanka to seal their berth in the knockout stage. However, the loss against Afghanistan in their last league game would have brought them down to earth.

India arrived at the World T20 looking a well-oiled machine that was, as captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni put, rattling on in sixth gear. They had walloped Australia 3-0 Down Under, before seeing of Sri Lanka 2-1 and cantering to an Asia Cup triumph in Bangladesh. Dhoni's side looked favourites and played like it too.

The higher the rise, the harder the fall they say. And India certainly found their slump against New Zealand, in the tournament opener in Nagpur, hard to digest. They had been outdone on a turning track, no less. Their next game, against Pakistan, saw the side return to winning ways, and in fine fashion. Then came the two miracles - one brought on by Bangladesh batsmen on themselves and another brought on by Virat Kohli's sizzling batting display against Australia - that saw India progress to the next stage.

The problems still remain, with both bat and ball. However, the fact that India have managed to pull through and are just two steps away will keep the side optimistic.

West Indies, on the other hand, came into the tournament with some amount of uncertainty shrouding their camp. That they have overcome those problems and managed to put themselves in the position they are in is massive credit to Darren Sammy's side.

Chris Gayle has already made a mark, with his hundred against England at the same ground. Their bowlers then shone against South Africa and Sri Lanka. Coming into their final league game against Afghanistan, the West Indies juggernaut looked set to roll on. They were, however, served with a harsh reminder of the unpredictability of the format as they slumped to defeat.

The defeat will have done its bit to keep the side on their toes, and West Indies will be hoping that the loss will be their one minor blip in this World T20.

When: March 31, 2016, Semi-final 2, 7:00 PM IST

Where: Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai

What to expect: A sunny day with a high of 33. The pitch is expected to be a 'sporting wicket', according to the curator. As is the norm in Mumbai these days, big scores are to be expected.

Team News:

India: Yuvraj Singh suffered an ankle injury in the previous game against Australia and the left-hander has been replaced by Manish Pandey. Pandey, with his ability to play the big shots as well as rotate strike effectively, might be the perfect replacement for Yuvraj in the batting order, but it robs the hosts of a player who can bowl some overs if needed. Bringing in Ajinkya Rahane looks unlikely, too, given Dhoni's preference to playing the right-hander at the top of the order rather than at the middle.

If India are keen on playing someone who can give them more with the ball, Pawan Negi could get a look in. Harbhajan Singh's experience in Mumbai could also tempt the management into giving the offspinner a go.

West Indies: Andre Fletcher was ruled out of the tournament with a hamstring injury he suffered against Afghanistan. He has been replaced by Lendl Simmons, who having played for Mumbai Indians, offers the side some vital experience in familiar conditions.

Evin Lewis, who succumbed to a seven-ball duck on his debut, will make way for Chris Gayle.

What they said:

I think it's 80-20 to India so it feels like David and Goliath. But people tend to forget, David won the fight. Look, we enjoy playing against India, a number of our players play here, we have a lot of respect: Darren Sammy.

I've said this from the beginning. They are probably one of the most dangerous sides in this format, because they've got explosive players, they've got match winners. We know what we're up against, and we're up and ready as well: Ravi Shastri.

Teams:

India (From): Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, MS Dhoni(w/c), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ashish Nehra, Jasprit Bumrah, Ajinkya Rahane, Pawan Negi, Mohammed Shami, Harbhajan Singh

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

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Aussie cricket coach guilty of 'ball tampering' in domestic cricket final IANS - 16 hours ago
Adelaide, March 29 (IANS) Australia's domestic cricket final was plunged into controversy on Tuesday, after Victoria's bowling coach was found guilty of intentionally damaging the match ball. In an attempt to give his bowlers an edge, Victoria's bowling coach Mick Lewis was filmed by broadcast cameras kicking the ball into the gutter and scuffing it on the concrete -- an illegal process known as ball tampering, reports Xinhua. Lewis, a former player for the Australian national team, pleaded guilty overnight and was fined almost $2,000 -- equal to half of a player's match fee for the domestic competition. More »

AccorHotels Arena Selects Avaya Technology for State-of-the-Art Technology Performance Marketwired - 17 hours ago
France's largest arena and concert venue signs Avaya to deliver 21st century experience for fans and performers Artists including Adele, Justin Bieber and Celine Dion will rely on Avaya for their shows ... More »

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India's Supreme Court allows regulator to sell some Sahara properties Reuters - 17 hours ago
India's Supreme Court has asked the markets regulator to start the process of selling some of embattled conglomerate Sahara's real estate assets in the country to refund millions of investors in its illegal bonds, lawyers said on Tuesday. Sahara, a household name in India as the former main sponsor of the national cricket team, has hotels overseas including the Plaza in New York and the Grosvenor House in London, besides vast real estate assets in India. Its founder Subrata Roy was arrested in March 2014 after the company failed to comply with a court order to refund money raised from millions of small investors by selling them bonds later ruled to be illegal. More »

Supreme Court allows SEBI to sell some Sahara properties Reuters - 17 hours ago
Supreme Court has asked the markets regulator to start the process of selling some of embattled conglomerate Sahara's real estate assets in the country to refund millions of investors in its illegal bonds, lawyers said on Tuesday. Sahara, a household name in India as the former main sponsor of the national cricket team, has hotels overseas including the Plaza in New York and the Grosvenor House in London, besides vast real estate assets in India. Its founder Subrata Roy was arrested in March 2014 after the company failed to comply with a court order to refund money raised from millions of small investors by selling them bonds later ruled to be illegal. More »
Gayle aiming for another big knock AP - 17 hours ago
West Indies talisman Chris Gayle has eye on another big score when he returns to the Wankhede Stadium to face India on Thursday. More »

England primed for tough New Zealand clash - Morgan Omnisport - 17 hours ago
Eoin Morgan says England are ready for New Zealand as the two sides battle it out for a place in the World Twenty20 final in Delhi. More »
Cricket-Simmons replaces injured Fletcher in Windies T20 squad Reuters - 17 hours ago
Lendl Simmons has been called up to the West Indies' World Twenty20 squad in place of the injured Andre Fletcher ahead of Thursday's semi-final against hosts India at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium, tournament organisers said on Tuesday. The 31-year-old Simmons pulled out of the squad with a back injury before the tournament and was replaced by the uncapped Evin Lewis, but he has since recovered. Fletcher pulled his right hamstring during the Windies' six-run defeat by Afghanistan in their final Super 10 match on Sunday and has been ruled out of the rest of the tournament. More »

England vs. New Zealand, ICC World Twenty20: Preview, Teams, Where to Watch, Odds Newsweek Europe - 17 hours ago
The going was rarely smooth, but England has made it through to a World Cup semi-final. Eoin Morgan’s team squeaked past Sri Lanka on Saturday — the underdog might well have won had captain Angelo Mathews not suffered an injury that hampered his charge —but in the end, Jos Buttler’s 66 off 37 balls was enough to see it over the line. Second in Group A, behind the West Indies, might have been an unideal position in which to finish, though, because England now runs into New Zealand, the only side unbeaten so far in the tournament in India with four victories from four. More »
Cricket: Du Plessis fined for dissent at World T20 AFP - 17 hours ago
New Delhi, March 29, 2016 (AFP) - 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. More »
Cricket: Williamson hails 'fearless' Kiwis ahead of T20 semi AFP - 17 hours ago
New Delhi, March 29, 2016 (AFP) - They are the nearly men of world cricket, with a reputation for faltering at the business end of tournaments. More »

Virat Kohli’s ‘SHAME’ post has given the Internet a viral meme The Indian Express Online Media Private Limited - 17 hours ago
Ace cricketer Virat Kohli lashed out at social media trolls as the Internet dragged Bollywood actor Anushka Sharma while commenting on Kohli's star performance during India Vs Australia T20. As uncalled for the trolling was, the T20-ODI vice-captain stood for Anushka and took to Twitter and Instagram to say "Shame on people for trolling @AnushkaSharma non-stop. Have some compassion. She has always only given me positivity." More »
Gayle hopes for another big knock against India in World T20 Associated Press - 17 hours ago
MUMBAI, India (AP) — Chris Gayle hopes to smash another century when West Indies returns at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday for its World Twenty20 semifinal against India. More »
British royal couple to attend Bollywood gala in Mumbai IANS - 17 hours ago
London, March 29 (IANS) A Bollywood gala awaits Britain's Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton during their upcoming India visit next month. The couple will be present at a special evening with stars of India's flourishing Hindi film industry. The event on April 10 will be held at a hotel in Mumbai, and will raise money for charities helping street children, reports mirror.co.uk. More »
Kohli becomes No.1 T20 batsman, India retain top team billing IANS - 17 hours ago
Mumbai, March 29 (IANS) Following consistent match-winning performances in the ongoing World T20, India's star batsman Virat Kohli on Tuesday reclaimed the No.1 spot in International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 rankings, while India retained the top spot in the team's rankings. Martin Guptill is New Zealand's highest ranked batsman after the opener moved up two places to third following his contribution of 125 runs in three matches at a strike rate of over 162. More »
Would love to be Varun Dhawan's voice: Armaan Malik IANS - 17 hours ago
New Delhi, March 29 (IANS) Known for crooning a string of hits like "Main hoon hero tera" and "Wajah tum ho", singer Armaan Malik says he would like to lend his voice for actor Varun Dhawan for a song. "I would love to be Varun Dhawan's voice. On the work front, Malik has just recorded a new song "Bol do na zara" from the film "Azhar," a biopic on former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin, whose character will be essayed by actor Emraan Hashmi. More »

South Africa captain Du Plessis fined for dissent Reuters - 17 hours ago
South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis has been fined 50 percent of his match fee by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for showing dissent during Monday's win over Sri Lanka in the World Twenty20 group stage. Du Plessis, who has accepted the sanction, showed dissent by "occupying the crease for a period of time" after being given out lbw before leaving the field while looking at his bat and shaking his head, the ICC said in a statement on Tuesday. It was Du Plessis' second sanction for dissent in 12 months, after being fined 15 percent of his match fee against India in a one-day international in October. More »
Trust Virat Kohli to win matches on his own IANS - 17 hours ago
Whether India will be the first country to win the World Twenty20 a second time or not, there is hope so long as Virat Kohli wields the willow on the pitch, as he has done in the tournament, winning key matches on his own. In the 2016 edition, he batted superbly to set a decent target to beat Pakistan and on Sunday night he made a taut target against Australia look like a stroll in the park. Who says Twenty20 is all inventive hitting, far removed from conventional strokeplay. More »

Prince William and Princess Kate Take Bollywood! Find Out What's in Store for Their Trip to Indi … People - 18 hours ago
Prince William and Princess Kate are set for a glamorous night among Bollywood's biggest stars – and that's just on their first day in India. On their first tour since visiting New York in 2014, the royal parents will celebrate the entertainment world in Mumbai, the palace revealed in a briefing on Tuesday. The glam night out on April 10 follows a day in which they will have seen the extremes of life in Mumbai: from the game of cricket and its role in young people's lives to the poorest parts of the city. More »
Gayle hopes `red-hot` Kohli fails to score in World T20 semis ANI - 18 hours ago
Mumbai, Mar.29 (ANI): Ahead of their World Twenty20 semifinal showdown against India, West Indies swashbuckling batsman Chris Gayle on Tuesday expressed that he hoped star batman Virat Kohli fails to score runs during the match, adding that even if he fires, it should be in a losing cause for Mahendra Singh Dhoni's side. More »

5 key talking points for England's World T20 semi-final against New ZealandSNAPPA Sports - 18 hours ago
Can England carry their form from the group phase into the knockout stages? More »

Williamson uneasy with favourites tag Omnisport - 18 hours ago
Kane Williamson says the "fickle" nature of Twenty20 means there are no favourites ahead of their semi-final with England. More »

Waqar offers to quit after Pakistan's WT20 exit Omnisport - 18 hours ago
Pakistan cricket needs wholesale changes according to Waqar Younis after their World Twenty20 exit. More »

ICC World T20 2016: Top quotes of the group stage Sportskeeda - 18 hours ago
Few quotes that will echo even after the tournament is over, and quotes which define the psyche of the teams. More »
West Indies focusing on team India, not just Kohli: Gayle IANS - 18 hours ago
Mumbai, March 29 (IANS) West Indies' swashbuckling batsman Chris Gayle on Tuesday praised Virat Kohli for his sublime form but stressed his team will not focus only on the right-hand batsman but the entire opposition team. Hosts India will play against the West Indies in the second World Twenty20 semi-final clash at the Wankhede stadium here on March 31. Kohli led the way with a sublime 82 runs off 51 balls to steer India to a thumping six-wicket win over Australia on Sunday to enter the semi-finals. More »
HealthEminds raises angel funding with Robin Uthappa as lead investor The Indian Express - 18 hours ago
HealthEminds, a healthcare start-up focusing on using technology to tackle mental and emotional health has recently closed a round of angel funding. Robin Uthappa, cricketer through his fund Caffeine Ventures has invested into the startup. Ankita Puri, Carnegie Mellon engineer, investment banker and healthcare enthusiast and Dr Sunita Maheshwari, leading global healthcare entrepreneur and Yale trained physician co-founders of HealthEminds having over 25 years of Healthcare and Technology experience, believe that there is a need for such a service in India. More »
Star candidates set to dazzle Bengal voters IANS - 18 hours ago
Kolkata, March 29 (IANS) Political parties engaged in a fierce fight to capture power in West Bengal have, once again, put their faith in stars from cricket to cinema and other fields to lure the voters in the coming assembly elections. In the past, these candidates have proved their talent with the willow or nimble footwork on the football field. Voting will take place on April 4, 11, 17, 21, 25 and 30 and May 5 for the 294-member West Bengal assembly. More »
Two Investing Lessons From the Recent Market Dip Motley Fool - 18 hours ago
On this episode we reflect on the tough market conditions from earlier this year and some lessons we learned along the way. More »
Gavaskar lauds Kohli's World T20 performance IANS - 18 hours ago
New Delhi, March 29 (IANS) Praising Virat Kohli for his superb performance during the ongoing World Twenty20, former batting legend Sunil Gavaskar said that the Indian star is currently the best limited-overs batsman in the world. Kohli has played a starring role for India at the World Twenty20, scoring 184 runs in four matches. Talking about Kohli's performance against Australia, Gavaskar said that the Delhi lad has shown that batsmen can be successful in in the T20 format without resorting to rash strokeplay. More »

Saad Ali, le jeune Pakistanais qui rêve de la Formule 1 francetvsport - 18 hours ago
Saad Ali, 28 ans, est en passe de devenir le premier Pakistanais à rejoindre le club très restreint des pilotes de Formule 1. Un destin inattendu dans un pays qui vit au rythme du cricket et qui ne possède même pas de circuit de course. Si quelques obstacles, dont l’apport financier considérable exigé par le sport automobile, freinent encore le Pakistanais, Saad Ali croit dur comme fer en son rêve : concourir un jour contre les plus grands pilotes du monde. More »
Pakistan coach Waqar offers resignation for World T20 flop show IANS - 19 hours ago
Lahore, March 29 (IANS) Pakistan coach Waqar Younis on Tuesday begged forgiveness and offered to resign after the country's flop show in the ongoing World T20 cricket tournament. Pakistan failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the marquee tournament, losing three successive group phase matches. At a press conference outside the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) office in Lahore, Waqar said that "apparent makeup surgery will not work". More »