Dhaka: Virat Kohli hit an imperious half-century to help India upstage South Africa by six wickets in the second semi-final in Dhaka on Friday to cruise into the World Twenty20 final.
Chasing 173 to win, the former champions were led by a knock of 72 not out by Kohli as they strolled to the target with five balls to spare.
This becomes India’s second final in five World Twenty20s after they won the inaugural event held in South Africa in 2007. They meet Sri Lanka in the final in Dhaka on Sunday.
In contrast, South Africa yet again failed to reach any world level final since their readmission into cricket in 1991.
MS Dhoni, who will lead India to a triple crown if his team win the final with the 2011 World Cup (50 overs) and 2013 Champions Trophy in the bag, praised the run chase.
“Everybody saw that the wicket was better than those we have played on, and they believed they could chase this down,” said Dhoni.
“There are not many who are as consistent as Virat. It is great to have him at number three.”
South African captain Faf du Plessis praised India and Kohli.
“We put up a good total but the bad thing is, MS and his team know how to chase,” said Du Plessis. “They have done it many times and Virat played a great innings.”
Kohli smashed five boundaries and two sixes off 44 balls in a brilliant display of batting.
He hit paceman Dale Steyn for a boundary to seal the win much to the jubilation of a packed Shere Bangla stadium.
Leg-spinner Imran Tahir managed just one wicket for 30 runs in his four overs while pacer Dale Steyn went for 36 in 3.1 overs.
South Africa, who batted after winning the toss were helped to 172 for four with Du Plessis scoring a 41-ball 58 for his fifth Twenty20 fifty.
He added 71 for the third wicket with Jean-Paul Duminy who made an unbeaten 40-ball 45 to bolster the innings.
South Africa lost opener Quinton de Kock (six) in the first over before Hashim Amla and Du Plessis took the score to 44 in the fifth over.
But Ravichandran Ashwin, who took three for 22 in his four overs, put the brakes on South Africa’s progress, claiming Amla (22) and then dangerman AB de Villiers (ten) off a miscued pull shot which was smartly held by Rohit Sharma at long leg.
In between, Du Plessis and Duminy batted with guts to take South Africa to 115 before Ashwin bowled Du Plessis off a miscued sweep.
