India vs Australia, ICC T20 World Cup 2016: as it happened
3pm BST: India vs Australia
- India win by six wickets with five balls remaining and face West Indies in semi-final in Mumbai on Thursday [31 March]
- Virat Kohli top scores with 82 from 51 balls.
- Australia set 161 to win with Aaron Finch making 43.
- Aaron Finch top scores with 43 in innings of 160 for 6.
- New Zealand face England in other semi-final on Wednesday [30 March]
- India won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007; Australia have never won the competition.
Incredible finale. India are into the World Cup semi-finals to face the West Indies. Virat Kohli is the star of the innings again, with 82 from 51. Australia had the game seemingly tied up with four overs left but Kohli and Dhoni put on 67 for the fifth wicket to take the game away with them and put it to bed with five balls left.
Well that is all we have time for on this T20 World Cup live blog. We will have live coverage of both semi-finals on Wednesday and Thursday, but until then goodbye.
20th over: India 161 for 4 - Virat Kohli has played perhaps his greatest T20 innings here which has brought India back from the brink. Just four need from the last over, which seemed improbable at best around 20 minutes ago. MS Dhoni hits the winning runs, as he often does. India win by six wickets.
19th over: India 157 for 4 - Dhoni getting treatment after what has been some ridiculous running between the wickets. The umpires are hardly moving this along. A moment a brilliance, though we may have already seen it, might be enough to book a semi-final spot. Epic finale in prospect. Slower ball from Coultner-Nile means a dot ball and a crucial one for Australia. Four for Kohli from a ball in the blockhole. Australia have yet to plug that gap but it is superb batting from Kohli. A half tracker is send for four again and that might be that for Australia, who are throwing this one away. Kohli goes again, over the top and through for a third. Eight needed from eight. Slower ball from Coultner-Nile is followed by a fourth four of the over. Game. Set. Match
18th over: India 141 for 4 - James Faulkner back for his last two overs. 39 needed off 18 and Kohli closes the gap with a boundary. The win predictor is slightly in India's favour and it will tick further towards them as a second four follows. Are Australia about to come apart at the seams here? Now Kohli goes over the top for six! Incredible hitting. This is the over for India you feel as the required run rate drops below 10 for the first time for a while. The running has been terrific and they get two from a dab into the offside. 20 needed from 12.
17th over: India 122 for 4 - Watson gets the ball in the blockhole and frustrates Dhoni. One big over might be enough for India but they can ill-afford dot balls. Kohli goes to fifty but it is largely irrelevant at this stage. If he is still there at the end then surely India will have done it. The run rate keeps going up and India need a huge effort here. Dhoni gets an edge though and gets four.
16th over: India 114 for 4 - The Indian crowd looks in good spirits when the cameras pan to them but the noise in Mohali suggests there are plenty of nerves out there. Australia have been terrific with the ball and Hazlewood has been among them. He is back for his final over and starts with a slower ball. Kohli sits back and waits for the second, lunging back as they get a second from nowhere. Need more of those I would suggest. Required rate now above 12 but Kohli sees to that, with a fine stroke through mid-wicket as he splits two fielders. The running between the wickets has been superb in this innings and they get more extra runs.
15th over: India 102 for 4 - MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli in now and the hopes of a nation rest on this partnership. Wickets at regular intervals have disrupted this chase. Shane Watson in for his third over after taking that fine catch. Dhoni off the mark with a single but from his third ball he goes bid and swings for the fence, getting four. Hundred up for India and though they remain behind Australia, there remains a glimmer.
14th over: India 94 for 3 - Australia revert to seam. If India can get the ball away then they're in business, despite the required run rate climbing above 10-an-over. Vuvraj is freeing his shoulders but he is tucked up by Faulkner. Kohli gets lucky with an inside edge which evades the stumps. While he stays in, and with Dhoni to come, anything is possible for India. Vuvraj continues to limp around and he eventually goes as a Faulkner slower ball produces a miss-timed drive.
13th over: India 89 for 3 - Zampa on for his second over and will India try and take him on. It will give Steven Smith a real dilemma if they do. A full toss gives us an early answer, and it is smashed into the crowd. Terribly delivery but put away but the injured all-rounder. Australia want an lbw the very next ball but not convinced it pitched in line.
11th over: India 68 for 3 - Australia want a stumping when Nevill gets Vuvraj and though he takes the bails off, he doesn't do it in time and India survive. Very low key passage of play as the run rate approaches 10-an-over. Adam Zampa with the first over of spin, a period which will test India to their fullest. Just three from the over.
10th over: India 65 for 3 - Vuvraj gets more treatment before the start of the 10th over and this really isn't helping India. Australia won't mind these constant stoppages which are breaking up the chase, but they will want to get on with things too. More strapping applied to Vuvraj and we're finally back underway. Vuvraj runs seemingly pain free when back on strike so that extra bout of treatment may have done the trick. Kohli can't be happy however as he has to abandon taking a two, but a fumble gives India a free run.
Ninth over: India 59 for 3 - Has to be a worry for India that Australia's success is coming via their seam contingent. Singh edges for four, past first slip. Vuvraj gets a single off his hip but he barely makes it down the other end and he is limping heavily. Looks like his ankle is giving him some trouble and he getting treatment at the non-strikers end. Given that running between the wickets will be key in this chase, not an ideal start for Vuvraj who will continue but surely he'll just tee-off now. He fends off his first ball since the injury but he is really struggling.
Eighth over: India 50 for 3 - India are some way behind where Australia wee after their whizz-bang start. Watson continues and Raina and Kohli run well either side of the wicket, picking up a couple of runs but India are desperate to restore parity and it is there undoing again. Raina gets a top edge through to Nevill, giving Watson his second wicket. Vuvraj Singh in now and he won't hang around. India go to fifty but they're firmly on the back-foot.
Seventh over: India 45 for 2 - Atmosphere in Mohali has changed completely after that second wicket, with the run-rate having now gone above nine an over. Australia persist with seam, which is not a great sign for India with spin still to follow. Raina gets a fortunate four after miss-timing a drive, but the quick outfield takes it to the rope.
Sixth over: India 37 for 2 - Shane Watson with the ball for the final time in international cricket? Kohli dabs him down to third man first ball. Good length from the all-rounder in this final over of the powerplay as India look to keep wickets in hand rather than go hard during the fielding restrictions and could that their undoing? Watson bowls Sharma as he looks to create an angle. The hosts are 22 runs adrift of where Australia were at the same stage.
Fifth over: India 34 for 1 - Kohli on strike at last and you feel India's hopes rest on his broad shoulders. Josh Hazlewood into his third over and he has been terrific, until he face Kohli who whips the ball through for four. Fine stroke. Another four edged through point and this is just what the doctor ordered for the hosts. Chants of 'Kohli, Kohli' from the home crowd. All on him is this chase.
Fourth over: India 24 for 1 - Sharma in on the act with a four through deep mid-wicket; one bounce and four. He goes for the same area again but he gets the toe end of the bat and it is only one. Coulter-Nile changes the pace up and that does for Dhawan. Good stuff from the Australian paceman as Dhawan miss-times and finds Khawaja. Big wicket that, which brings Virat Kohli to the crease.
Third over: India 18 for 0 - Hazlewood down after bowling a wide, perhaps the equivalent of blaming a divot for an air shot in football. Dhawan and Sharma struggling to get anything straight away but the former picks it up nicely, smashing it away for six. The Indian crowd are alive again and a few more singles make it an encouraging over for the hosts.
Second over: India 9 for 0 - Australia stick with pace and Coulter-Nile takes the ball. He starts well, banging it in at a decent length and Sharma sits back and absorbs the pressure. Next one is shorter and he struck away but just for one and it picks out Maxwell square of the wicket. Even start, perhaps a tad better for Australia.
Ben Stokes hit a six off the final ball of the England innings yesterday and it proved decisive as they won by 10 runs. How crucial could Peter Nevill's two-ball cameo be today against India? Australia looked set for a sub-par total but they have set something decent in what is essentially a knock-out game. India have plenty of options with the bat of course but we're in for a nervy reply. We'll be back with the reply in around 15 minutes.
20th over: Australia 160 for 6 - Faulkner eyes sending the ball into the Mohali night but he falls well short, picking up Kohli who is at long on. Watson can't make contact with the next ball, but he gets lucky next up edging through past Dhoni for four. These are important runs, as Ben Stokes proved yesterday for England. India have to get all of these. The 150 is up but is it enough? Peter Nevill get across and flicks his first ball over the top for four. The last ball from Pandya is crunched for six. Australia are delighted and India need 161 to reach the semi-final.
18th over: Australia 136 for 5 - The score predictor now says 172 but that would require something big from Watson and Faulkner. India have done very well in this second half of the innings. Nehra sparked that comeback into life and he is back for his final over. More variation keeps Australia in check and just four comes from the over.
17th over: Australia 132 for 5- Four overs left and Maxwell is very much set after two boundaries from the last over. That switch hit was outrageous in the previous over. He tries another one but gets it all wrong and can't make contact. Dhoni has a thankless task setting a field to this man, but he doesn't need to as Maxwell's air shot sees him bowled by Bumrah. Bonus wicket at the perfect time for India. James Faulkner in.
16th over: Australia 129 for 4 - Maxwell smashes the ball into the stumps at the opposite end and Jadeja wants a run-out, but nothing doing from the umpire's perspective. This is not the surge Australia were after but Maxwell does get four from the penultimate ball of the over as he flicks through fine leg. Now that is virtuoso stuff from Maxwell, with a terrific switch hit for six. Incredible stroke.
15th over: Australia 113 for 4 - Maxwell is not coping well without the slow medium pace from Pandya but will Watson cope? He gets four with a hard pull into the leg side. Might this re-energise this Australia innings? No sign of anything explosive yet as India wind Australia in. Fascinating last five overs ahead.
13th over: Australia 100 for 4 - Maxwell is pacing this innings well, to ensure he is around for the final five overs where there could be fireworks. Finch is hanging around too without taking many risks though he has a huge heave at Pandya, failing to make contact but he gets away with it. Maxwell gets through for another well-run two. A four at last for Australia as Finch hits a short one all the way for four. That brings the hundred up but Finch won't be around to push Australia on as he holes out to Dhawan.
12th over: Australia 93 for 3 - Vuvraj is cramping Australia for room but Maxwell does free his arms and looks for the boundary. India relay the ball to ensure they prevent the boundary. Dhoni will be delighted with that after some switching off in the field. A reverves sweep from Maxwell gets him one but that is now 28 balls since the last boundary.
11th over: Australia 85 for 3 - Pandya with the ball for the second half of this Australia innings. The first goes through Maxwell, who looked to glance the ball down to third man. The next one does everything, darting back in and keeping low and Maxwell doesn't have a clue; not a great sign for India who have to chase on this surface. Maxwell finally gets one away and Australia get two cheap runs after an overthrow. Just four from the over though and the game is coming back to India.
10th over: Australia 81 for 3 - Evidence of encouragement for the spinners so Vuvraj is into the attack and he strikes straight away, with his first ball of the tournament! Smith isn't happy but he is given out caught behind, and Snicko suggest he is right to be disappointed. The momentum is firmly with India now but here comes Glenn Maxwell. He can't play with the reckless abandon he normally does; Australia need an innings. A free hit isn't a bad way to start but he can't get Vuvraj away, to the delight of the home crowd.
Eighth over: Australia 73 for 1 - Ashwin is back and he gets it all wrong again with another wide. His radar needs adjusting again. Australia playing very low risk cricket here, with ones becoming twos. Now a first boundary for a while from Finch off the back foot. Outfield is quick which could mean a real run-fest. Ashwin gets one to grip at last and Dhoni does the rest to get rid of Warner. New man Smith gets off the mark straight away.
Sixth over: Australia 59 for 1 - Bumrah wants an lbw first ball to Warner but it has done too much, but a sign that India are back in this game. Finch now can't get the ball through in this final over the powerplay. Will Finch take the aerial route now? Instead he edges to the third man area. Warner takes another single in a low key start from him and the India pressure continue. Nevertheless, 59 from the powerplay will do nicely.
Fifth over: Australia 55 for 1 - Finch survives Nehra's first ball which loops up and goes up and over Raina. Partner Khawaja doesn't last long though, edging behind to Dhoni after another loopy full delivery. The home faithful are bouncing again as David Warner comes to the crease. This is just what the tournament hosts needed as Nehra uses his experience of restrict Australia.
Fourth over: Australia 53 for 0 - Ashwin into the attack in the fourth over. Khawaja looks like he has judged the pace of this surface perfectly though and he flicks the ball away for a single. Finch can't repeat the trick and the India crowd are encouraged. But that hope is eroded by a huge six over mid-on by Finch. He goes again the next ball and it just evades the fielder on the boundary. Ashwin readjusts but gets it horribly wrong, bowling wide and through for four. Five extras for Australia an this has been a horrid start from India. Now another wide and that brings up the fifty, with two balls of the fourth over left. They run a good two. Another single makes it 22 from the first over of spin. Ominous.
Third over: Australia 31 for 0 - Dhoni keeps faith with the seamers and Nehra almost rewards the faith as Finch gets the line wrong and steps to far across exposing his middle stump. Yet to get off the mark is Finch until he is served a wide one which is creamed through backward square. Now an inside edge from Finch as the middle of the bat continues to evade him. Khawaja back on strike and it is the same result, getting an inside edge for his sixth four. Great start this and the home crowd have fallen silent.
Second over: Australia 21 for 0 - Aaron Finch faces his first ball and is keen to get off the mark, risking a run out as he scampered down the non-strikers end. Bumrah has the ball but his floaty action doesn't distract Khawaja who flicks for four over the infield. Now he goes again and gets a second in almost identical fashion. Bumrah spraying it all over the place and Khawaja makes it three in a row, this time with a more conventional pull. Damaging over for India this and perhaps Dhoni will look to spin. Khawaja makes it four boundaries from the over as he glides the ball through third man.
First over: Australia 4 for 0 - Ideal start for Australia as Khawaja pulls Nehra for four first up. Just a tad short and it was punished. Nehra beats the bat with the next two and he has discovered the perfect length. The left-hander is all over the place and the experience Nehra beats him again, before the last one is a beauty which misses the off-stump by inches. Great start, with encouragement for both teams; as we expected.
The Bindra Stadium may not be the biggest nor the most atmospheric being used in this tournament but it has a unique intimate feel to it which is a far cry from some of the gargantuan grounds in India. Steve Smith is confident his side will cope with the conditions, ones which India often thrive under.
Teams that have won the toss have won 14 of the 18 Super 10 matches, so it really is advantage Australia as far as history is concerned. The pressure is really on India and after they were shocked in their opening game against New Zealand and then edged to victory over Bangladesh they are yet to provide evidence they can claim a second world title.
Steven Smith seems happy enough having won the toss but admits he isn't sure if it will spin in the second half of the game. Australia are unchanged.
MS Dhoni admits he would have batted first and is also concerned it will slow down as the game progresses. It seems like a pitch made for India and their adeptness against spin, aside from their collapse against New Zealand.
Every now and again you get a sporting event which really does capture the world's imagination. You expect that for the next couple of hours at least, the planet's eyes will be on the events in Mohali as two of cricket's global superpowers go head to head. Let's just hope we get a game fitting of the occasion.
The toss will take place around 30 minutes before play when we will get news of the teams and a dose of the atmosphere in Mohali will you imagine will be red hot. As if both of these teams were evenly matched enough going into this game, they have each won once batting first and second, and lost their only game chasing. You couldn't separate these two on a foggy day.
India on home turf are the marginal favourites in today's do or die clash with Australia. They have won the last five T20s between the two sides. It must be noted however that in beating Pakistan and Bangladesh, Australia were all the more impressive. Will Aaron Finch open the batting for the Aussies today? They have played all but one of their squad in their three tournament matches, suggesting they don't know what their best team is. India have meanwhile been completely unchanged.
Going back to events in Mohali, West Indies may have been defeat but having reached the total of 101 they ensured they topped their group ahead of England, Eoin Morgan's men will face New Zealand on Wednesday and will remain in Delhi - scene of their victory over Sri Lanka yesterday. That could be significant for the 2010 winners.
One of the main news stories in the build-up to this game has been the confirmation that Shane Watson will retire from all international cricket at the end of this tournament, whether that be today or later next week.
So let's turn our full attention to our second match on this Easter Sunday. You may already be aware of the permutations regarding the game, but I shall repeat them for those not aware of the significant of this penultimate game of the Super 10 stage.
India face Australia in a straight knock-out game to determine the final team to qualify for the semi-finals. Both teams have two wins and one defeat - both to New Zealand - from their three group matches while neither have produced what could be described as their best form in this tournament. The winner will face the West Indies on Thursday in Mumbai.
As the build-up continues in Mohali, there is an exciting finish in prospect in Nagpur where the West Indies are chasing 124 to win their dead rubber with Afghanistan, who are chasing their first win in the tournament. The West Indies need 29 from the final three overs with five wickets in hand. We'll keep you posted with how they get on as we build up to the start of play between India and Australia.
After the drama of Delhi, we go to Mohali with one place remaining in the competition, and two of cricket's giants of the game on the precipice of either the semi-final or being dumped out of the competition. India and Australia have been far from their best but they collide with one place up for grabs in the last four as the knock-out phase comes a week early.
Both sides have won two or their three group games but need a third to join New Zealand, West Indies and England in next week's semi-final. Australia have never won this competition before but the pressure is firmly on the hosts India, whose fanatic support expects. Updates, team news and the toss all on the way before the scheduled 3pm start.
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