London: India is out of the ICC World Twenty20. Hustled by the short-pitched fuller-length routine of the English pacemen and undone by off-spinner Graeme Swann’s drift and spin, the defending champion went down by three runs at a packed Lord’s on Sunday.
Actually, the contest was not as close as the final margin suggests. England, which displayed greater passion and intensity, always had its nose in front.
India has been defeated in its first two matches in the Group ‘E’ of the Super Eight. England gave a lifeline to its semifinal hopes with a famous victory.
Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni (30 not out off 20) was unable to unleash the booming blows when India, chasing 154, required fours and sixes after losing too much ground in the early and middle overs.
Yusuf Pathan (33 not out off 17), cleared the ropes twice, but did not quite deliver a big hit in the vital 19th over. Stuart Broad made a hash of a run-out opportunity to dismiss Yusuf but conceded only nine runs without giving away a boundary. The paceman mixed his length well in a stressful situation.
Very precise
Left-arm paceman Ryan Sidebottom, adjudged Man of the Match, sent down the final over even as India required 19 runs.
His yorkers and fuller length balls, on and around the off-stump and angling away, were precise. The two heavy-hitting right-handers managed just four from the first three balls
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