By Fakir Hassen, IANS
Durban : Jubilant Indian fans at the Sahara Kingsmead Stadium here began consoling despondent South African fans in the closing overs of the Twenty20 World Championships game.
India not only trounced the hosts Thursday night to secure a place in the semi-final against Australia but bundled them out of the tournament by restricting their total enough to drag their net run rate below that of New Zealand, who will face Pakistan in Saturday’s first semi-final at Cape Town.
Widely billed as a do-or-die game for India and an almost fait accompli that New Zealand would be booted out, the tables were turned as captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and decided to bat first on the very dry wicket.
There was none of the sparkle of the six sixes in one over by Yuvraj Singh that had the spectators enthralled the previous night at the same venue. But crowd disappointment at his missing the game due to injury soon turned to great enthusiasm as the game progressed.
By the final two overs of their innings, with South Africa clearly having no hope of winning the match, but desperately trying to reach 125 to keep their net run rate better than the Kiwis’ to stay in the tournament, one nail-biting fan in an Indian shirt scribbled a message on a the back of a board that earlier read: “Yuvraj for President!” and held it up for the camera: “Come on SA! We want you in the final.”
But that hope of the fans that they would see both India and South Africa in the final was not to be as India handed the hosts their first defeat in the tournament.
Recently appointed India’s one-day captain, Dhoni said afterwards that the faith in his team of young players had been vindicated and that the positive energy that they exuded would ensure that they keep winning.
South Africa bumbled on the field several times, with the look on captain Graeme Smith’s face on those occasions clearly showing that there would probably be some serious talking with some members of the team afterwards.
Disappointed home fans, the majority of them of Indian descent, said it would have been nice to see their country in the final with India. But many said they would turn out to support India when they play in the semi-final against Australia at the same venue Saturday evening.
With local fans having a reputation of jeering the Australians and their slogan of “we support South Africa and any team playing against Australia”, the Indian side will be bolstered by the massive support expected Saturday.