India reach semifinals with Australia win
March 27, 2016
India qualified for the ICC World Twenty20 semifinals on Sunday after defeating Australia, thanks mainly to an unbeaten 82 from Virat Kohli in their knock-out clash in Mohali.
India won by six wickets, chasing down Australia's 160-6 thanks to Kohli's 51-ball knock and will now face the West Indies on Thursday in the semifinals. England will play New Zealand in the other semi in Delhi, ahead of the final on Sunday in Kolkata's Eden Garden.
Australia looked like they may have initially have the edge in the contest when they had India at 94-4, but Kohli and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni put on 67 runs to turn the match back in their team's favor.
"This innings has to be in my top three, perhaps the top right now because I'm a bit emotional," admitted Kohli after picking up his man of the match award after the game. The 27-year-old hit two sixes and nine fours in a tense match at the Punjab Cricket Association ground.
India, who won the inaugural competition in 2007, now stand just one game away from reaching the final in their own country on Sunday. To do so, they will have to beat a West Indies side that lost on Sunday to Afghanistan.
sb/mg (AFP, Reuters)