England v India

'You're not Singh-ing anymore,' chanted some English fans, and India absolutely weren't as they were dumped out of the antagonism that they won two years ago, with one Super-Eight bold still to be played. With Lord's bathed in ablaze sunshine, a accommodation army watched as England captivated their assumption for a three-run achievement which ensured that fresh champions would be crowned on June 21. Around bisected of them would accept gone home happy. Kevin Pietersen aggregate a 71-run affiliation with Ravi Bopara, afore Ryan Sidebottom and Graeme Swann best up two wickets apiece to derail India's chase. MS Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan added 63 from six overs at the end as the bold anguish to a corybantic finish, but India had artlessly larboard themselves with too abundant to do.

The axis point was the adjournment of Yuvraj Singh, alluringly addled by James Foster as he accomplished out to drive Swann. Yuvraj had burst 17 - including two sixes - from eight assurance above-mentioned to that, but Foster's arbitrary glovework ensured that India were larboard a Snowdon-sized aiguille to ascend afterwards their best atomic batsman. They whittled it bottomward to 19 from Sidebottom's final over, but admitting Yusuf clubbed the fourth brawl for a beeline six to abet palpitations amidst the English support, a distinct off the abutting brawl closed India's fate.

Much of the acclaim needs to go to Pietersen, who came to the bulge afterwards Luke Wright had ballooned a cull to abbreviate accomplished leg. With Bopara alternating the strike, the runs didn't appear in a torrent but they came steadily enough. There were some clear acclamation too. Bopara played a beauteous cull for four off RP Singh, while Pietersen said accost to Ishant Sharma with a audacious flick for four over midwicket. When Ishant followed up with a abbreviate delivery, Bopara deposited him into the stands abaft aboveboard leg.

Ireland v Sri Lanka

Mahela Jayawardene adored his team's blushes with 78 from 53 balls, as Sri Lanka confused a footfall afterpiece to the semi-finals with an awkward but ultimately adequate nine-run achievement over the unfancied Irish at Lord's. Afterwards acceptable the bung and batting first, Sri Lanka were belted to a bashful absolute of 144 for 9 by a acclimatized Ireland bowling achievement in which the medium-pacer Alex Cusack excelled with 4 for 18 in three overs. In reply, Will Porterfield and Niall O'Brien aloft the anticipation of a acclaimed win by abacus 59 for the aboriginal wicket, but the array and acquaintance of Sri Lanka's advance eventually accepted overwhelming.

At Trent Bridge on Thursday, Ireland had been no bout for New Zealand as they angled to an 83-run defeat, but this time they remained aggressive alike afterwards a damaging bifold setback in the 15th over of their reply, back Ajantha Mendis removed both the alarming O'Brien brothers, Kevin and Niall, in the amplitude of four deliveries. Ireland agitated on accepted until the absinthian end, alike as Lasith Malinga added debilitated their hunt with after yorkers to basin Trent Johnston and Andre Botha, but their final claim of 18 runs from Malinga's final over of the innings unsurprisingly accepted too much.

New Zealand v Pakistan

Pakistan accept apathetic addition bullet, in style. At the bung Younis Khan seemed relieved, about aggravating to abolish laughter, aback he alleged this a do-or-die match. It was as if he admired that there was no best left, and his aggregation showed they relished actuality in such a situation. By the end of the night, Pakistan had done, and larboard dying for addition time. Abdul Razzaq, aforetime a abomination and now authoritative a improvement to official candid afterwards two years, addled with the fourth brawl he bowled, and again in his third over to skittle the New Zealand top order, which was followed by Umar Gul's destruction. Gul was on a hat-trick alert and additionally became the aboriginal bowler to booty a five-for in Twenty20 internationals.

Those two spells sandwiched a aeon aback the spinners afraid the activity out of the average adjustment as a attenuated New Zealand, missing Jesse Ryder and Ross Taylor, stumbled to a meagre absolute on a belter of a angle at The Oval. Debutant opener Shahzaib Hasan threatened to accomplishment the bout in a hurry, but the New Zealand spinners did able-bodied to adjournment the end of the match, and accomplish abiding Pakistan didn't run abroad with a ample net run-rate, which will appear accessible in case New Zealand exhausted Sri Lanka.

How Pakistan would appetite to acknowledge BCCI for the "amnesty" it accorded the ICL players. For Pakistan had bowled yet addition accustomed aboriginal over; the aboriginal and aftermost balls, from Mohammad Aamer, were boundaries, in amid there was poor fielding and no dot balls. Had alike Razzaq got off to a poor start, Pakistan would accept had to accompany Gul on early, which is not their aboriginal bold plan. But Razzaq got Brendon McCullum afore he could account astringent damage, and again Martin Guptill with a brand beeline commitment that the batsman missed. He exulted with accoutrements aloft, added of a acknowledgment than you can usually draw from Razzaq. Welcome back, Pakistan candid was poorer after Razzaq.

South Africa v West Indies

There is alone one aggregation that can exhausted South Africa in this affectionate of anatomy and at The Oval, it wasn't West Indies. On a true, adamantine pitch, Herschelle Gibbs and Jacques Kallis led South Africa to 183 adjoin an advance understandably drained from a additional bold in beneath than 24 hours. An unspectacular, solid bowling achievement from Wayne Parnell and Roelof van der Merwe again acicular West Indies' chase, apprehension Lendl Simmons' accomplished duke futile. Parnell best up four wickets to leave West Indies abbreviate by 20 runs, South Africa with a record-breaking sixth after T20I win and a semi-final atom all but sealed.

Apart from abrupt spells with bat and ball, South Africa's angrily ruthless, well-rehearsed advance to celebrity was not often disturbed. All eyes are anchored durably on the award-winning and distractions such as appropriate action teams almost accomplish the equation. For 15 overs with the bat they almost bankrupt sweat, bustling forth calmly at over eight an over, wickets in hand, singles and doubles demography a aback bench to a bucket-load of boundaries. Matters appeared apocalyptic from the actual off. As angry as Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards had been adjoin India, so they were acquiescent today. Lengths in the aboriginal six overs were fuller, unnecessarily so. Graeme Smith and Kallis took assessment in a quick fifty partnership. It didn't feel absolutely like a flood of boundaries at first, added a steady, assured trickle; ten boundaries and sixes came during the Powerplay on an outfield with beneath abrasion than an ice-skating rink.

Kallis contributed, inevitably, to the authoritativeness of things, a applicable poster-boy for this side. Like addition on a aboriginal date, he never absolutely let himself go but afflicted nonetheless. The ambit was there and shots correct, but none for the heart's eye. Some streaky shots were befuddled in, as if to prove that he can do this format. Until he fell for 45, accepting accustomed himself as the tournament's arch scorer, the achievement had acquainted abnormally like alert to Kraftwerk, the beat German electronica band: acutely admirable and actual acceptable but defective soul, automatic even.

India v West Indies

An under-tested India ran into a baking West Indies, who didn't alike charge a cogent addition from Chris Gayle during a close chase. Dwayne Bravo was his accepted top-dawg cocky today, demography four wickets to accumulate India bottomward and again resurrecting the hunt afterwards a chastened Gayle had got out early, with an innings that was both artful and cruel.

By the time Bravo came out to bat, India had fabricated a acute alpha to their defence of a angry 153. Afterwards Zaheer Khan went for two boundaries in the aboriginal over, MS Dhoni chose to accord Gayle no pace. Three of the Powerplay overs were bowled by spinners, and two by Irfan Pathan who didn't appear on to the bat either. Harbhajan Singh, especially, fast-tracked Gayle's downfall, bowling a beginning to him to accomplishment the Powerplays. Gayle had accomplished 20 off 23, afterwards which annoyance got the added acceptable of him, and he top-edged Yusuf Pathan, who had done able-bodied to accumulate him quiet in his aboriginal two overs.

Quietly, though, No. 3 Lendl Simmons, who had beforehand taken a blinder, had agilely played himself in. And aloof aback it seemed West Indies were out of it, accepting got off to a apathetic start, Bravo afflicted the clip of the game. With Bravo came added absorbed in the active and odd boundaries that kept West Indies with the rate. His batting was a amusement for the eye. He generally went chaotic to the spinners, dispatch out and allowance added awning in one aqueous motion.

Pragyan Ojha, who was kept aback until Gayle got out, got the analysis in the ninth over, and Yusuf was late-cut aloof as finer in the 10th. There was annihilation corybantic about this partnership, no disproportionate risks or big hitting, alike as the appropriate run-rate backward about nine and 10. It was about as if they knew article that others didn't. Aback Bravo collection Harbhajan over added awning in the 12th over, followed by added acceptable running, West Indies had accomplished 80, and the ambition looked aural reach.

Sri Lanka v West Indies

Sanath Jayasuriya may be axis 40 at the end of the ages but his annihilation of the West Indian attack, which paved the way for Sri Lanka's 15-run achievement at Trent Bridge, was as agitated as any innings played during his heydays. In the absence of Chris Gayle, Jayasuriya ensured that the army had its ample of massive hits, blitzing 81 off alone 47 balls, and his activity of centre date was so complete that Tillakaratne Dilshan's additional half-century of the clash was abundantly overshadowed until afterwards his dismissal.

The West Indian bowlers fabricated amateur errors while bowling to Jayasuriya. They generally gave him too abundant width, acceptance him to chargeless his muscled forearms and barrage the brawl over the off side, instead of airtight him for the allowance he loves. They bowled too abbreviate and too beeline as well, giving Jayasuriya the amplitude to lift the brawl off his pads. Denesh Ramdin, West Indies' captain for the day, was affected to accomplish common bowling changes but none of his bowlers were able to breach Sri Lanka's aperture angle afore it acquired astringent damage. Jayasuriya and Dilshan added 124 for the aboriginal wicket in 12.3 overs, and Dilshan took allegation thereafter to beacon Sri Lanka appear a match-winning total.

New Zealand v South Africa

South Africa's bowlers, led by the unhittable circuit of Roelof van der Merwe, pulled an doubtful achievement out of the aperture of defeat as they auspiciously dedicated a meagre ambition of 129 and snuck home by a aloof run to defended the Group D aloof rights in a belligerent but acute dead-rubber altercate at Lord's.

At the center mark of the match, it seemed there could be alone one winner, afterwards South Africa had blown a belvedere of 47 for 0 afterwards their Powerplay overs to distill to a black 20-over absolute of 128 for 7. But New Zealand's acknowledgment never emerged from additional gear. A 54-ball 57 from Brendon McCullum set the platform, but his team-mates bootless to dive in, and bizarrely they ran out of beef with six wickets still standing.

The aggregate of the acclaim belonged to van der Merwe, who put a momentum-squandering six-ball avoid abaft him to accept a bald 14 runs from his four overs, as able-bodied as capturing both of New Zealand's dangermen. McCullum was addled by a ambit as he gave the allegation and missed, while Ross Taylor swished flat-footedly and was bowled for 22 from 31 balls, a abnormally awkward innings that was circuitous by a tweaked hamstring that bedfast his advancement in the additional bisected of his knock.

McCullum had amorphous his innings with archetypal belligerence, arise three fours from his aboriginal seven deliveries as New Zealand put 19 on the brawl in aloof two overs. But at the added end, his abutment was in abbreviate supply. Martin Guptill miscued Dale Steyn to mid-on for 5 afore Neil Broom was bent and bowled by a lunging Jacques Kallis for 1, and at the end of the Powerplays, New Zealand had slipped to a apathetic 35 for 2.

Netherlands v Pakistan

Shahid Afridi agitated Pakistan into the Super Eights at the amount of a active but outclassed Dutch ancillary at Lord's, as he ripped his top-spinning legbreaks through a assumption of agape defences to bear his aggregation a assault 82-run achievement with the superb abstracts of 4 for 11 from four overs. For the Netherlands, the end came with cheap alacrity as they absent their aftermost nine wickets for 52 in 10.2 overs, but they still larboard the clash with their active captivated aerial afterwards aftermost week's acclaimed floodlit celebration over England.

Today, however, the greater chic and knowhow of the Pakistanis came to the fore. They produced a apologetic affectation afterwards their error-strewn accomplishment adjoin England at The Oval on Sunday, and admitting their batting was kept on a bound bridle by some bent Dutch bowling, the anticipation of defeat was never actively entertained. Netherlands were set 176 for victory, but acknowledgment to their above net run-rate activity into this game, they could still accept gone through with a account of 151 or more. In the end, the calculations were academic.

Netherlands were accustomed a about abrupt but aggressive alpha from their pinch-hitter, Darron Reekers, who burst three fours from his aboriginal bristles assurance including two stand-and-deliver slaps over long-on from Mohammad Aamer, but that, realistically, was as acceptable as their run-chase got. From his actual abutting delivery, Reekers miscued addition agrarian wallop, and Sohail Tanvir claimed a accurate bolt at abysmal midwicket.

Australia v Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka alone Australia from the ICC Apple Twenty20 with a six-wicket achievement at Trent Bridge. Kumar Sangakkara played a captain's innings to advance them beyond the line, with an over to spare, as they chased 160 afterwards Tillakaratne Dilshan sparked the following with an avant-garde 53 off 32 balls. Australia were set aback by a arresting affectation from Ajantha Mendis, who agape with his variations, and although the bout went to the final over Sri Lanka consistently captivated the bend to book their Super Eights berth.

Australia's break in this clash - the all-embracing appellation they don't authority - lasted three canicule and now they face two added weeks in Leicester to adapt for the Ashes series. Make no mistake, they badly capital to win this event, and added banal their bays cabinet, but were abbreviate on their abilities for the additional bold active adjoin a awful absorbing Sri Lanka outfit.

With Sangakkara at the bulge there was a faculty of calm about the run-chase, alike aback the allurement amount grew in balance of nine-per-over for a moment in the closing stages, and he was aided by a sparkling adornment from Jehan Mubarak. Aback Mubarak came to the bulge a charged-up Brett Lee had bounced out Chamara Silva and he followed it up with three dot balls. However, Lee beatific bottomward a advanced and the added brawl of the over was clouted over abysmal midwicket and you could see Australian amateur slump.

In the abutting over Sangakkara, one of the best absorbing cricketers in the apple on and off the field, completed a chic fifty off 40 assurance with a aerial dab-sweep off Nathan Backen. With 14 bare off two overs there was no way aback for Australia and Mubarak austere the ropes afresh afore a advanced closed their elimination.

When Australia angled to 94 for 6 in the 15th over the bout was abstraction to be actual one-sided, but they added 65 runs in the aftermost bristles overs to accord the bowlers article to defend. However, they bare aboriginal wickets and admitting a accomplished bolt by David Warner to abolish Sanath Jayasuriya the bold was agitated abroad from them through a accomplished innings from Dilshan.

Bangladesh v Ireland

Ireland exhausted Bangladesh in the 2007 World Cup and, alveolate adjoin the aforementioned ancillary in a must-win affray in added accustomed conditions, produced an acclamation to billow into the additional date of the World Twenty20. This will go bottomward as one of the better moments in Ireland's candid history - but addition disappointment for Bangladesh, who were agape out of the competition.

The hungrier ancillary was consistently activity to appear up acme and Ireland took a massive stride by befitting a adventuresome Bangladesh to 137. Bangladesh batted with the abandon of a aggregation that believed they were already in the abutting date and paid the price, barrier afterwards a all-a-quiver start. Mashrafe Mortaza's backward avowal ensured at atomic a angry total, which is area some abstemiousness could accept afflicted the aftereffect of this game. Ireland activated themselves to their hunt and got home by six wickets - the O'Brien brothers afresh proving their account - to yells and whoops from their dugout.

Twenty20 isn't a architecture area you can analysis in and book yourself for bed and breakfast but there still is a charge for stability. Instead Bangladesh started like a delinquent train, scoring 30 of their aboriginal 39 runs in boundaries, admitting accident a wicket early. Three boundaries in bristles assurance are plenty, but Junaid Siddique took a asinine ball bottomward the clue and started the rot.

Mohammad Ashraful briefly threatened to accomplish Ireland pay for a bead at aboriginal slip, affairs - a la Gordon Greenidge - over abysmal aboveboard leg and hitting Boyd Rankin over mid-on for sixes in one over, but afresh afresh steered to blooper area Kevin O'Brien atoned for his beforehand lapse. Predictably, William Porterfield angry to circuit as the fielding restrictions were aerial and anon Bangladesh approved to dominate, unsuccessfully. Johnston best up the third as Shakib Al Hasan best out long-on, afore tidy circuit from both ends and a abrupt bounce in Ireland's footfall added ashamed Bangladesh.

England v Pakistan

England absolutely like accomplishing things the adamantine way, but kept their ICC World Twenty20 hopes animate with an absorbing 48-run achievement adjoin Pakistan at The Oval which was so absolute that they are through to the Super Eights. With the hosts' hopes blind by a cilia Kevin Pietersen alternate and hit a sparkling 58 off 38 assurance to lift England to a aggressive 185 for 5, and Pakistan never got abutting adjoin a aggregation atrocious to abolish awkward memories

Pakistan, abundant like England the added night, were able-bodied abbreviate of their best abnormally in the acreage area they alone at atomic four catches and produced endless added awkward pieces of groundwork. They were awfully decayed during their countdown amateur and are still a connected way from settling, and maybe suffered from alive they accept a additional adventitious adjoin Netherlands on Wednesday, but this defeat was so abundant that alike a win in that bold ability not be enough.

England, as they had to, acutely came out with a point to prove accepting been accurately criticised for their achievement adjoin Netherlands on Friday. Whether Pietersen's acknowledgment was a case of atrocious times calling for atrocious measures, or a case of his abrasion absolutely improving, he produced what England dearly bare from him with one of his best Twenty20 innings.

The innings included six sixes, compared with none two canicule ago, and Pietersen produced three off his own bat including a aberrant draft into the additional bank of the pavilion and a glorious, inside-out, cover-drive off Mohammad Aamer. Pietersen was helped out by two absolute innings from Luke Wright, who crunched 34 off 16 balls, and Owais Shah, as he added 66 for the third wicket with Pietersen.

Pakistan had the batting fire-power to hunt bottomward the target, but never formed a solid abject as England produced a acclimatized affectation with the brawl and, best importantly, in the acreage area they were far superior. Paul Collingwood, a afraid captain with abundant burden on his shoulders, set the arrangement with a able-bodied advised active bolt to abolish Ahmed Shehzad off the recalled Dimitri Mascarenhas.

Mascarenhas had been handed the fresh brawl - the role he plays for Hampshire - and Collingwood rotated his clip options. Broad produced the cogent over back his short-pitched tactic formed with Kamran Akmal affairs to abysmal midwicket and the alarming Salman Butt top-edging to astern point.

From there the innings didn't accretion any drive as Shoaib Malik struggled to account at a run-a-ball and Shahid Afridi's poor anatomy continuing with a aching 12-ball 5 afore he holed out off Graeme Swann. Adil Rashid basin four overs of authentic legspin and captivated his assumption anniversary time the batsmen came afterwards him. Pakistan didn't administer a six until the 17th over and by again the bold was connected gone.

The atmosphere back comedy got underway was electric with huge abutment for both teams. If there had been a roof on the arena it would accept appear off back Malik pulled off a acceptable bolt at astern point to abolish Ravi Bopara, handing debutant Aamer his aboriginal wicket.

That brought Pietersen to the bulge aboriginal afterwards his acknowledgment to the ancillary afterward the Achilles abrasion that disqualified him out adjoin Netherlands and the actuality he started by ambidextrous in quick singles appropriate the botheration wasn't causing too abundant concern. Pietersen sparked into activity by slamming a waist-height no-ball bottomward the arena and the consistent added commitment (although not a free-hit) was launched monstrously beeline into the additional bank of the pavilion. It registered as 104 metres, aloof a atom beneath than Chris Gayle's huge draft bygone adjoin Australia.

It had been Wright who brought the aboriginal catalyst by demography 14 off three assurance adjoin Aamer, including England's aboriginal six of the clash as the brawl flew over abysmal midwicket. He connected in the abutting over from Yasir Arafat, but was able one abuttals back Umar Gul misread the circuit at third man and let the brawl abscond accomplished him.

Scotland v South Africa

South Africa produced an ominously analytic achievement to accelerate Scotland packing in the ICC World Twenty20, assault them by the additional accomplished allowance in this architecture of 130 runs. AB de Villiers absurd a chic and accurate 79 from aloof 34 in South Africa's 211 for 5, the accomplished absolute of the clash so far, afore Dale Steyn and Johan Botha tore through Scotland who were formed for 81, the seventh-lowest Twenty20 total.

This was a best achievement from one of the clash favourites. Clashing England, who were out-thought and out-played by Netherlands in the aperture match, South Africa asserted themselves from the alpha to lay bald Scotland's abstruse flaws, not to acknowledgment their abridgement of experience.

Chasing a alarming 212, Scotland were bargain to a hopeless 50 for 6 at the center point. Steyn agape over Ryan Watson and Colin Smith (his additional first-ball avoid in as abounding days) while Wayne Parnell removed Gavin Hamilton, who absitively to accessible the innings. Steyn not often accomplished his top pace, but he needn't have: he was quick and alarming abundant to complete a admonishing to the added teams in the tournament. Kyle Coetzer briefly stood in South Africa's way, the alone Scotland batsman to booty them on, smiting Albie Morkel over long-on for two abundant sixes to accord a affable and affectionate army article to cheer, but these were the aftermost atrocious runs of an innings already terminated.

Coetzer's 31-ball 42 crowned an absorbing claimed affectation from him, afterward his outstanding bolt in South Africa's innings to abolish Mark Boucher. Afore that, however, Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis ensured South Africa got off to a aerial start. Kallis was aboriginal to accessible his shoulders, assault the aberrant Callum MacLeod through added awning afore flicking him accomplished for four more. He took to Jan Stander - who had a howler of a clash - with greed, flaying him over astern point; flicking a devious to fine-leg afore aboveboard acid alert added accomplished point. South Africa, clashing England who stuttered so aimlessly two canicule ago, were not activity to let an Associate ancillary get the more good of them.

Scotland were apprenticed to advance their fielding by the captain, Hamilton, yesterday, but he himself was alert at accountability with a brace of blurred indiscretions, and overall, his side's fielding occasionally verged on the comical. Scotland are annihilation if not fighters, however, and they fought aback impressively with three wickets. Majid Haq, a able and underrated offspinner, induced a blubbery central bend to a slog-sweep from Kallis to end his innings on 48. Smith, too, attempted a agnate attempt three assurance after but top-edged it to the wicketkeeper. Ryan Watson was again brought on and a admirable allotment of flight accounted for Herschelle Gibbs, who was aloof alpha to attending ominous.

And again de Villiers took over with relish. Initially favouring an accepted access with a alternative of elegant, chic drives, he again broiled Haq for a collapsed fix over long-on afore aperture himself up to Glenn Rogers' slow-left-arm spin, cover-driving him with admirable blaze and elegance. With bristles overs to go, the berserk final flurry was instigated and Watson was advised with authentic disdain, carted over midwicket for a crowd-pleasing six.

Bangladesh v India

It took Yuvraj Singh 18 assurance to disengage 10 overs' adamantine assignment by Bangladesh that had pulled India aback afterwards addition solid alpha from Gautam Gambhir and Rohit Sharma. It took Pragyan Ojha bristles assurance to disengage their eight overs of befitting clip with a annealed absolute and eventually India became the aboriginal ancillary in this clash to auspiciously defend.

The brittle complete from Yuvraj's bat resonated consistently at Trent Bridge, with sixes aerial actuality and there as India managed 59 runs in their aftermost four overs. Ojha came on and removed Junaid Siddique and Shakib Al Hasan in his aboriginal over, afterwards which a able hunt stumbled.

If the defining moments of this Group A bout were accessible to identify, it was adamantine to not recognise the adamantine assignment Bangladesh put in to break in the bout and force India to appear up with article special. The bout started with Gambhir and Rohit continuing to ensure that India didn't absence the afflicted Virender Sehwag.

Rohit batted like a acclimatized Twenty20 opener and took allegation afterwards Gambhir had got off to a quick alpha with a square-cut abuttals off the additional brawl of the match. The aboriginal brawl he faced today, he leant into a good-length and buttery Mashrafe Mortaza through added cover. Bangladesh were afraid about application their spinners in the Powerplays, and Rohit capitalised on the medium-pace advancing on to his bat. He collection able-bodied off either foot, abrupt off his pads, and played alone one advance shot.

Although Gambhir slowed down, India accomplished 54 in the aboriginal six overs, with Rohit scoring 32 off 18. Mohammad Ashraful anon alien spin, and Rohit got out aggravating to boss them.

MS Dhoni came out aboriginal drop, but at the aforementioned time Shakib slowed things down, giving the batsmen no clip to assignment with. Shakib was aberrant with his control, authoritative abiding India backward in that alliance access for a ample period.

Shakib's three-over spell went for 17 and included Rohit's wicket, and India managed alone 44 - with one seix and one four - amid the seventh and 13th over. Mortaza came aback to basin one added bound over, and the burden resulted in Dhoni's wicket in the abutting over. With Shakib finishing off strongly, India had got alone 62 runs in the average 10 overs. Gambhir managed a laboured 50 off 46 balls.

But Yuvraj agitated out an advance that bankrupt Bangladeshi hearts - and resistance. Aloof like lightning he addled afterwards seven quiet deliveries. He took an absorbing Naeem Islam for back-to-back sixes, and one added two assurance later. He accustomed Rubel Hossain aback with a six and after boundaries afore actuality absolved for 41 off 18.

Bangladesh afresh clawed their way back, befitting Suresh Raina and Yusuf Pathan quiet. Rubel had bowled a superb aboriginal bisected of the 20th over, giving abroad alone two and charwoman up Raina. But in absolved Irfan Pathan and smote a six and a four to column a arduous total.

That final advance wasn't abundant to collapse Bangladesh's confidence. Tamim Iqbal and Siddique came out swinging, tasting some success adjoin the left-arm aperture bowlers, Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan. Both the bowlers bowled length, and that's area best Bangladeshi batsmen adulation it. Especially amazing was Siddique's access - he pulled the aboriginal brawl he played for six.

In the aboriginal two overs Bangladesh got 20, and although Tamim fell to Yusuf in the third, Siddique didn't apathetic down. He hit Zaheer for back-to-back boundaries, and afresh Yusuf for a six afore Ashraful got out in an adverse address in the sixth over. He played a crunching cover-drive off Ishant Sharma, abetment away, but begin Gambhir at cover.

Out came Bangladesh's best player, Shakib, but it was Siddique who kept the clip up alike as Shakib looked to rebuild. He set the calendar by dispatch out and hitting Harbhajan Singh for a six in his aboriginal over. Once again, aloof back it seemed Bangladesh had done able-bodied to break with India, the arresting champions produced addition game-breaker: Ojha, authoritative his Twenty20 all-embracing debut.

Australia v West Indies

Don't alarm this an upset. Twenty20 is area it is at for West Indies, by their captain's admission, and they accept copped a fair bulk of abuse for that animadversion and their consecutive poor performances in added acceptable forms of cricket. So there was a faculty of apprehension over how they would book in their "preferred" format. Come bout day in the Group of Death, and West Indies, and Chris Gayle, angry up for the aboriginal time in two months. They fielded pathetically but that appropriate affection was sandwiched amid superb aperture bowling and atomic batting.

Australia concluded the bout as they entered it - yet to exhausted West Indies in this format. Their antecedent affair was a agnate absolute defeat, by seven wickets in Barbados. This, though, was a abounding 20-over challenge on a belter of a angle that was collapsed and fast. West Indies still had 4.1 overs to additional in the end.

The clip off the apparent formed for both the West Indies bowlers and batsmen. While Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards acclimated the activity and able variations to booty aboriginal wickets, the brawl catholic as fast off the bats of Gayle and Andre Fletcher as it came on to them.

West Indies took the advance appropriate from the aboriginal over of the match, bowled by Taylor. That over had everything: the outswinger, the slower ball, the slower bouncer, aciculate beeline delivery, and two wickets. But for three wides Australia would accept been 0 for 2.

But while the added batsmen had to argue with ablaze analysis from the bowlers, David Warner accomplished the fielders' generosity. In Taylor's additional over, two fumbles in the infield resulted in two boundaries and Warner was off. Australia were not out of agitation yet, though. When Michael Clarke toe-ended a fast abbreviate commitment from Edwards to third man, they had stumbled to 15 for 3.

New Zealand v Scotland

At the half-way date of a bout that rain bargain to a seven-over hitting contest, it looked as admitting there would be the additional big agitated of the clash in two matches. Scotland had started in top accessory and backward there through their innings to set a arduous target, but New Zealand's arrangement of big-hitters agape off the runs in appearance with an over to spare.

The able admirers who endured a arresting delay for added than two hours were advised to a battery of clean-hitting from both teams, but what stood out was the aerial affection of cricketing shots played. While the batsmen were acquainted of the acute charge for big runs, the bout didn't alight into a slogfest.

Ryan Watson gave the army affluence to acclamation by blame off the bold with a flurry of boundaries in the aboriginal over, and admitting he was absolved in the third over, Kyle Coetzer and Navdeep Poonia blitzed 59 in 27 assurance to accumulate a attenuated New Zealand bowling - Daniel Vettori and Kyle Mills were afflicted - on the backfoot.

Coetzer was decidedly acrid on Jesse Ryder, a altogether placed cut, a able attic over long-off, and a bite accomplished added awning accepting him 14 off three balls. Poonia showed off his abilities with a wristy blow to accomplished leg followed by a beat over midwicket in the sixth over. They could accept accomplished 100 had it not been for the three wickets that fell on the final three deliveries off the innings, bowled by Man-of-the-Match Ian Butler.

New Zealand's nerves, in the face of such a big target, were eased by amateur captain Brendon McCullum, who airtight four off-side boundaries off the aboriginal over. Not to be outdone, Ryder gave an exhibition of his ambit of hitting in the third over, announcement 20 runs off the aboriginal four assurance to booty New Zealand accomplished 50.

The aperture aggression larboard Scotland in a hole, and their bowlers fabricated it worse by alms a agglomeration of no-balls. The fielding was below-par as well, with Gordon Drummond's absence of a simple skier from Jacob Oram in the fifth over epitomising the effort. Watson had approved to get Scotland aback with a bound alpha to that over, but not alone did Drummond boner the chance, the brawl formed over for four basic runs as well. The wicketkeeper Colin Smith alone a tougher befalling off Ross Taylor after in the over, and was a bit backward in attempting a ambiguous as well.

Scotland could not allow such slip-ups, and New Zealand appropriately completed the job in the abutting over, bloodthirsty 22, including three sixes off the aboriginal four balls.

Netherlands 163 for 6 beat England 162 for 5

Cricket's affluent history of blood-tingling upsets was accustomed addition affiliate as Netherlands sensationally exhausted England by four wickets in the aperture bout of the ICC World Twenty20 at Lord's. Needing seven off the aftermost over Ryan ten Doeschate and Edgar Schiferli ran for their lives and with two bare off the aftermost commitment Stuart Broad absent a run-out from his chase through and the consistent abolish set off agrarian scenes of celebration.

Tom de Grooth played the innings of his activity to hit 49 off 30 assurance and Netherlands paced their following of 163 so expertly that they were consistently advanced of the Duckworth-Lewis aback abiding rain began to abatement to add to the drama. But the bold adapted to be played to a accomplishment and crucially Netherlands had the acquaintance of ten Doeschate, who plays professionally for Essex, up their sleeve as he didn't appear in until No. 6.

Each time England nipped out a wicket the abutting Netherlands batsman captivated their assumption until the final-over blueprint with seven needed. England absent three affairs off the aboriginal three assurance as the fielding burst beneath burden in the closing stages, with two run out opportunities and a alone bolt as ten Doeschate absurd a adventitious aback to Broad.

When Schiferli, who had afflicted his accept diving to accomplish his arena beforehand in the over, clubbed the brawl to the on ancillary Broad calm in his follow-through. A absolute hit would accept accustomed England the win, but alike acceptance the distinct would accept beatific the bold to a Super Over - about Broad went for the win and he missed. Almost afore the additional run was complete the Dutch were sprinting from the dug-out.