WorldT20: Can the final top the excitement of this week’s semis?

Kohli’s brilliance not enough as Windies leave India winded

What a game! If anyone was still under the illusion that T20 matches don’t have the capacity for twists and turns in the way that tests do, yesterday’s WorldT20 semi-final will surely have changed their mind once and for all.
Seven balls into West Indies’ reply to India’s 192, the game seemed briefly to have fallen flat. With the cricket world expecting, Chris Gayle was simply unable to deliver – instead playing all round a low full-toss from that scourge of even the coolest of Thundercats, Jasprit Bumrah. Yet in the event, his failure was – astonishingly – immaterial to the resultEarlier, India’s man of the moment, Virat Kohli, had been calmness personified – at least after an early attempt to run himself out and an edgy boundary two balls later. From then on, he was magnificent. To score only a single six in a score of 89 emphasised Kholi’s terrific running and his ability to score freely without the need to clear the boundary. His eleven fours were all timing and placement – hardly the bish, bash, bosh we’ve come to anticipate in these games but no less exhilarating.Subsequently it seemed as if Kohli’s magic touch as a bowler might ultimately deal the West Indies a killer blow when he took a wicket with his first ball to put the game back in the balance. After that intervention, however, the West Indians simply carried on their merry way. Sixes flew with abandon; India, criminally, took wickets off no-balls; and West Indies’ lesser lights shone bright – which speaks perhaps to the impressive spirit within their dressing-room.
With the hosts out England have a chance to avenge their first round defeat.  If only Sunday’s final can live up to our anticipation.