India's quest to regain the World Twenty20 title came to aheartbreaking end after they were knocked out of the tournament despite athrilling one-run victory over South Africa in the final Super Eights contesthere on Tuesday.
Put into bat, India scored 152 for six and needed torestrict South Africa within 121 to qualify for the semifinals on net run ratebut Faf Du Plessis knocked the stuffing out of the Indian bowlers with asmashing half century that put paid to their hopes of making it to theknock-out stage.
India's task was made all the more difficult after Pakistancomprehensively beat Australia by 32 runs in an earlier Super Eights match ofthe day as it strengthened their net run-rate. Australia and Pakistan qualifyfor the semifinals from Group II.
South Africa were all out for 151 in the penultimate ball toend their campaign after losing all three of their Super Eights match.
Ever since winning the inaugural edition in 2007, MahendraSingh Dhoni and his boys have failed to reach even the semifinals of thesubsequent editions.
Du Plessis hit 65 off 38 balls with the help of sixboundaries and two sixes but more importantly he dashed any hope of Indiamaking it to the last four.
The defining moment came when Robin Peterson played a slowbouncer from Lakshmipathy Balaji towards short fine leg as South Africa reached122 and it was cheered lustily by a sizable Pakistani supporters anxiouslywaiting for the moment.
For India, the magic figure was 121 and the start was aright one. Zaheer Khan bowled a perfect delivery first up to dismiss HashimAmla. The delivery pitched on the off-middle line and then moved a shade totake the outside edge of Amla's bat as Virender Sehwag took a good catch divingto his left.
