India to play Pakistan in Twenty20 final

Durban, Sep 23 - India Saturday surprised Australia by 15 runs in the second semi-final of the Twenty20 World Championship of cricket to set up a dream final with Pakistan Monday.

India scored 188 for five wickets in 20 overs and then restricted Australia to 173 for seven in 20 overs in the second semi-final at Kingsmead ground.

Earlier in the day, Pakistan defeated New Zealand by six wickets in the first semi-final in Durban to book their berth in the final, which will be played in Johannesburg.

In-form Yuvraj Singh, who was later adjudged the Man of the Match, slammed 70 off 30 balls to guide India to a competitive-looking total after captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss.

Besides Yuvraj's blitzkrieg (5x4s, 5x6s), Dhoni smashed 36 off 18 balls (4x4s, 1x6) and Robin Uthappa scored 34 off 28 balls (1x4s, 3x6s) to lift India from a worrying 41 for two in seven overs.

Pacer Michael Johnson took two wickets.

When Australia batted, the pace trio Sreesanth, Joginder Sharma and Irfan Pathan bowled particularly well to capture two wickets apiece.

SCOREBOARD

Second semi-final, India vs. Australia, Twenty20 World Championship, at Kingsmead, Durban

India:

Gautam Gambhir c Hodge b Johnson 24

Virender Sehwag c Gilchrist b Johnson 9

Robin Uthappa run out (Symonds) 34

Yuvraj Singh c Hussey b Clarke 70

Mahendra Singh Dhoni run out (Gilchrist) 36

Rohit Sharma not out 8

Irfan Pathan not out 0 1

Extras: (leg byes 6, wide 1) 7

Total: (for five wickets in 20 overs) 188

Fall of wickets: 1-30 (Sehwag, 5.2 overs), 2-41 (Gambhir, 7.6), 3-125 (Uthappa, 14.3), 4-155 (Yuvraj, 17.3), 5-184 (Dhoni, 19.5)

Bowling:

Brett Lee 4 0 25 0

Nathan Bracken 4 0 38 0

Stuart Clark 4 0 38 0 (1w)

Michael Johnson 4 0 31 2

Andrew Symonds 3 0 37 0

Michael Clarke 1 0 13 1

(c) Indo-Asian News Service

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