CRICKET

MUMBAI—Lendl Simmons believes India’s lack of genuine pace bowlers helped him guide West Indies to a seven-wicket victory in the semifinal of the World Twenty20 yesterday. Simmons smashed an unbeaten 82 off 51 balls and featured in two strong partnerships with opener Johnson Charles (52) and Andre Russell (43 not out) as West Indies raced to 196-3 after India had scored 192-2.

West Indies Women cricketers defied the odds when they defeated New Zealand Women by six runs at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, India, to book their first-ever appearance at a Twenty20 World Cup final.

West Indies' allrounder Andre Russel smashed a four and a six off the third and fourth deliveries of the final over to propel the Caribbean side to 196 for 3 and a seven-wicket win over India in their Twenty20 World Cup semi-final match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday.

The crowd at New Delhi's Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium witnessed an occurrence which may become a rarity earlier this week as minnows Afghanistan had England on the ropes at the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Twenty20 tournament in India.

The pastoral quote, “Death ends a life, not a relationship,” by Mitch Albom encapsulated the atmosphere at Inshan Ali Park, Preysal, yesterday, as local cricket and community icon Rangy Nanan was laid to rest at the village cemetery.

The West Indies players created quite a stir after they paraded the Gangnam style dance during their victorious 2012 ICC Champions League campaign in Sri Lanka. Now they are doing the Champion dance with the hope that they will carry the performance into the finals as they did two years ago.