India to clash with Lanka in semis
Pak to play England in other semi
India stormed into the semifinals of the T20 World Cup for the Blind with a facile win over South Africa in their final league match at the Aditya Global Sports ground on Monday.
India, who beat the Proteas by 288 runs after electing to bat and putting up mammoth 355 for four in their allotted 20 overs, will take on Sri Lanka in the semifinals.
India had beaten the Lankans, who entered the last-four stage with an impressive win over Bangladesh, quite convincingly in the early stages of the league phase.
With Pakistan too making it to the semis, the chances of another showdown between the arch-rivals is on the cards. Pakistan, minus skipper Zeeshan Abbasi, waltzed past Nepal, to notch up seven wins from seven matches. Abbasi will, however, be ready when the two-time 40-over World Cup winners take on England, who defeated West Indies, for a spot in the final.
Earlier at the Aditya grounds, Ganesh Bushara (80 n.o.), Dunna Venkatesh (79) and Hitesh Bhai Patel (72) were instrumental in India posting a big total. Unlike in the past where the top order would run riot, the middle order got a chance to slug it out there, and they came out on top.
Skipper Shekar Naik scalped three wickets and Ajay Kumar Reddy bagged a couple to bowl out South Africa for 67 in 11.1 overs.
Brief scores: India: 355/4 in 20 overs (Ganesh Bushara 80 n.o., Dunna Venkatesh 79, Hitesh Bhai Patel 72) bt South Africa: 67 all out in 11.1 overs (Shekar Naik 3-13, Ajay Kumar Reddy 2-14); Nepal: 89 all out in 20 overs lt to Pakistan: 90/0 in 4.1 overs (Masood Jan 53 n.o., Gulab Khan 28); West Indies: 213/6 in 20 overs (Rodney Ramrattan 77, Jennson Poyah 75; Luke Sugg 2-27) lt to England: 217/3 in 16.4 overs (Andy Powers 122, Matt Page 25); Sri Lanka: 360/3 in 20 overs (LR Madhusanka W Lekamge 138 n.o., P Saman Kumara 92, AK Kumara 70) bt Bangladesh: 112/7 in 20 overs (Md Badal Kumar Das 37, Md Manir Rana 28).
Semifinal line-up (Wednesday): Pakistan vs England (Central College grounds, 9.00 am); India vs Sri Lanka (Central College grounds, 1.30 pm).
