WI Legends miss out on Road Safety World Series final

Despite half-centuries from opener Dwayne Smith and middle-order batsman Narsingh Deonarine and a fluent knock from skipper Brian Lara, West Indies Legends missed out a spot in the Road Safety World Series final, losing by 12 runs to India Legends in a high-scoring first semi-final on Wednesday.

Playing in Raipur, India Legends racked up an imposing 218-3 from the 20 overs, but West Indies Legends responded well, falling just short at 206-6 when the overs finished.

West Indies Legends lost the early wicket of William Perkins (9) with just 19 runs on the board before Smith and Deonarine, who made 58 and 53* respectively in the previous game against England, added 99 for the second wicket.

Smith fell for 63 off 36 balls (9x4s, 3x6s) and Kirk Edwards was dismissed soon after without scoring, as West Indies Legends slipped to 120-3 in 11.2 overs.

Deonarine and skipper Lara then swung the momentum West Indies way, adding 80 for the fourth wicket in just 7.1 overs. Vintage Lara struck 46 off 28 balls (4x4s, 2x6s), but West Indies lost their way with 25 needed off 12 balls.

Vinay Kumar (2-26) dismissed Lara and Tino Best (2) in the 19^th over, which produced just eight runs, leaving the Caribbean side with 17 to get off the final over.

Deonarine was run out off the third ball for 59 off 44 (5x4s, 2x6s), as Irfan Pathan kept things tight, conceding just four runs off the final over.

Earlier, India Legends got contributions from all their batsmen, led by Sachin Tendulkar, who at 47, followed up his 60 the previous match against South Africa, with a sublime 65 off 42 (6x4s, 3x6s).

Virender Sehwag provided the early flourish with 35 off 17 (5x4s, 1×6) and Mohammad Kaif made 27 off 21 (2x4s, 2x6s), before Yuvraj Singh and Yusuf Pathan went berserk at the death.

The pair added 78 off the last 35 balls of the innings, with Yuvraj launching six sixes, including four in one over from leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo, in his 49* off 20.

Pathan faced the same number of deliveries for his 37*, which included two fours and three sixes. Best took 2-25.

South Africa and Sri Lanka clash in the second semi-final on Thursday in Raipur to decide who will face India in Sunday’s final in Mumbai.