The 2nd match of the ICL 20s World Series featured the big battle between traditional rivals & defending champions ICL India & the star studded ICL Pakistani. R Sathish won the toss and put the ICL Pakistani in to bat.
The usually explosive opening duo of the two Imrans (Farhat & Nazir) could not get off to their usual start, with ICL India debutant Jesuraj scalping Farhat in the first over, without troubling the scorers. Jesuraj struck again in the 3rd over, cutting short the promising innings of Imran Nazir (16) to leave the Pakistani dugout in a bit of a concern at 23/2. The five over mark had the Pakistani scorecard reading 44/2.
The inform Rana Naved in company of the promising Shahid Yousuf got into the repair act right away taking the score to 73 in the 8thover till Vignesh picked up Yousuf with 13 runs against his name. Sathish introduced his premier spinner for a second spell in the crucial 10th over who struck immediately with his first ball, getting the big wicket of Rana Naved out for a 44 off 31 balls, laced with 7 fours and one six. The half way mark of the Pakistani innings had the game at “Evens-Stevens”, with the scorecard reading 83/4. The middle overs had Inzamam & Razzaq working up a wonderful partnership looking good in the middle till the prodigal Murtaza picked his second scalp in form of the legendary Inzamam for a well made 24. Razzaq too perished to an irresponsible shot in the 15th over to give ICL India the upper hand at the Pakistani score of 118/6 at that stage of the innings. Loss of wickets at regular intervals compounded by some smart bowling in the death overs by the young Indian side; restricted the Pakistani total at 165/9 in their allotted 20 overs. For the ICL India side it was the wily Murtaza & debutant Jesuraj who emerged the most successful bowlers picking 3 wickets a piece.
The Indian chase got off to an indifferent start with Vignesh run out early at the Indian score of 13 in only the 2nd over of the innings. The five over mark had the Indians in a steady position placed at 40/1 & the young Hyderabadi duo of Rayudu & Khaleel battling it out in the middle. Both batsmen were playing sensible cricket with some percentage shots brining their fifty run partnership off 37 balls in the 7th over. Just when the partnership was taking a dangerous turn Khaleel, was scalped by the experienced Arshad Khan in the 9th over, for a well made 36, ending the 67 run partnership for the 2nd wicket. The half way mark of the Indian innings had the score card reading 85/2, needing another 81 runs off 60 balls.
Just when it seemed easy sailing for the Indians, cheap dismissals of Binny & Sathish brought the Pakistanis right backing the match in the crucial middle overs. Rayudu was however playing the sheath anchor role to perfection brining his 4th ICL fifty off 37 balls laced with 6 fours and 1 six. With five overs to go the Indians needed just 38 runs to win off 30 balls with the prodigal Rayudu looking in solid touch in the middle. The Pakistanis were not going to go down without a fight and Razzaq brought back the Pakistanis with the big wicket of Rayudu in the 16th over out for a 65. A wicket off the last ball of the 18th Sami over in form of Abbas Ali had the high pressure game wide open at the penultimate over stage at the Indian score of 153/6, needing 13 runs off 12 balls. Badani was playing a crucial knock for the Indians brining in al his international experience in play in the high pressure situation. In the end it was the crucial knock of 32 off 22 balls by the experienced Badani that sealed a brilliant victory of the young Indian side.
Showing posts with label cricket scores. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cricket scores. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
ICL World beat ICL Bangladesh by 12 runs
The Inaugural match of the ICL 20s World Series featured the spirited ICL – Bangladesh take on the formidable ICL- World at the Sardar Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad. In the end it was a disciplined effort from the ICL –World compounded by a batting failure from the usually strong Bangladesh batting that saw the World side win the tournament opener by a comprehensive margin of 12 runs. Lance Klusener was declared man of the match for all round performance that included an anchoring half century followed by three wickets in the crucial middle overs.
Start of the play saw Habib Ul Bashar won the toss and elected to field wanting to take first advantage of the freshly laid pitch. The World side opened with the formidable combination of Harvey & Goodwin who got off to a quick start racing off to 21 in the second over, till Harvey played a cut shot straight in the hands Kapali, at point off Baisya. Bashar introduced his experienced spinner Mohammad Rafique as early as the third over who struck immediately, castling the dangerous Martyn, to leave the world side in a bit of a bother at 22/2. Rafique struck again in the 5th over, getting the big wicket of Murray Goodwin for a well made 27 off 16 balls that included six hits to the boundary. The five over mark had the ICL-World side placed at 41/3.
Boje & Klusener got into the repair act right away playing some percentage strokes; working up a strong partnership worth over 50 runs at that stage of the match, to take the score to 91/3 at the half way mark of the ICL-World innings. The 55 run partnership for the 4th wicket came to an end in the11th over, with a failed reverse sweep attempt by Boje, resulted in his stumping off Mosharraf. Boje’s innings was worth 34 runs off 23 balls; laced with 5 fours.
Lance Klusener was anchoring the ICL-World innings against a committed & disciplined effort in the field by the Bangladeshi side. Mosharraf Hossain was the pick of the bowlers in the middle overs picking up the crucial wickets of Boje & Nixon for only 30 runs in his allotted 4 overs. Klusener got about his 5th ICL fifty in the 19th over, coming off only 43 balls studded with 4 fours & 1 six. The world innings finally folded at a healthy 167/6 in their allotted 20 overs, foreseeing a interesting 2nd session. For the Bangladesh side it was their left arm spinners who were the highlight in the field, with Rafique & Hossain picking three & two wickets respectively.
The Bangladesh chase got off to a brisk start with the dangerous Nazimuddin hitting two sixes off the third over from Gillespie to race of to 20 runs off only 10 balls. However a shot too many brought his promising innings to an end in the 4th over off Andre Adams, ending the 28 run partnership for the first wicket. The five over mark had the Bangladesh side well placed, right in hunt of the challenging target at 50/1. Aftab Ahmed was looking good in the middle playing some brilliant shots all across the ground, helped by a difficult dropped chance & missed stumping to power the score to 75 in the 7thover , till he was foxed by the experienced Boje to be stumped by Nixon for a well made 29. Harris brought on Klusener in the 10th over who struck immediately with the big wicket of Alok Kapali, cheaply for 1, to bring back ICL World right backing the game. The halfway mark of the Bangladesh innings had the scorecard read 77/3; needing 91 runs off 60 balls.
A middle order collapse where the Bangladesh side lost 3 wickets in four balls had the game do a sudden U-turn, with the scorecard reading a sorry picture at 89/6 in the 13th over. It was complete hara-kiri by the Bangladesh middle order loosing 6 wickets for 16 runs in the crucial middle overs. The Bangladesh side could not quite recover from the batting fiasco, needing a nearly impossible task of needing 40 runs off the last 2 overs. A late onslaught by Rafique, Baisya and especially Mosharraf Hossain (28 runs off 21 balls) was too little too late and saw Bangladesh fall short of the target by 12runs.
Start of the play saw Habib Ul Bashar won the toss and elected to field wanting to take first advantage of the freshly laid pitch. The World side opened with the formidable combination of Harvey & Goodwin who got off to a quick start racing off to 21 in the second over, till Harvey played a cut shot straight in the hands Kapali, at point off Baisya. Bashar introduced his experienced spinner Mohammad Rafique as early as the third over who struck immediately, castling the dangerous Martyn, to leave the world side in a bit of a bother at 22/2. Rafique struck again in the 5th over, getting the big wicket of Murray Goodwin for a well made 27 off 16 balls that included six hits to the boundary. The five over mark had the ICL-World side placed at 41/3.
Boje & Klusener got into the repair act right away playing some percentage strokes; working up a strong partnership worth over 50 runs at that stage of the match, to take the score to 91/3 at the half way mark of the ICL-World innings. The 55 run partnership for the 4th wicket came to an end in the11th over, with a failed reverse sweep attempt by Boje, resulted in his stumping off Mosharraf. Boje’s innings was worth 34 runs off 23 balls; laced with 5 fours.
Lance Klusener was anchoring the ICL-World innings against a committed & disciplined effort in the field by the Bangladeshi side. Mosharraf Hossain was the pick of the bowlers in the middle overs picking up the crucial wickets of Boje & Nixon for only 30 runs in his allotted 4 overs. Klusener got about his 5th ICL fifty in the 19th over, coming off only 43 balls studded with 4 fours & 1 six. The world innings finally folded at a healthy 167/6 in their allotted 20 overs, foreseeing a interesting 2nd session. For the Bangladesh side it was their left arm spinners who were the highlight in the field, with Rafique & Hossain picking three & two wickets respectively.
The Bangladesh chase got off to a brisk start with the dangerous Nazimuddin hitting two sixes off the third over from Gillespie to race of to 20 runs off only 10 balls. However a shot too many brought his promising innings to an end in the 4th over off Andre Adams, ending the 28 run partnership for the first wicket. The five over mark had the Bangladesh side well placed, right in hunt of the challenging target at 50/1. Aftab Ahmed was looking good in the middle playing some brilliant shots all across the ground, helped by a difficult dropped chance & missed stumping to power the score to 75 in the 7thover , till he was foxed by the experienced Boje to be stumped by Nixon for a well made 29. Harris brought on Klusener in the 10th over who struck immediately with the big wicket of Alok Kapali, cheaply for 1, to bring back ICL World right backing the game. The halfway mark of the Bangladesh innings had the scorecard read 77/3; needing 91 runs off 60 balls.
A middle order collapse where the Bangladesh side lost 3 wickets in four balls had the game do a sudden U-turn, with the scorecard reading a sorry picture at 89/6 in the 13th over. It was complete hara-kiri by the Bangladesh middle order loosing 6 wickets for 16 runs in the crucial middle overs. The Bangladesh side could not quite recover from the batting fiasco, needing a nearly impossible task of needing 40 runs off the last 2 overs. A late onslaught by Rafique, Baisya and especially Mosharraf Hossain (28 runs off 21 balls) was too little too late and saw Bangladesh fall short of the target by 12runs.
Friday, September 12, 2008
India set up dream final
India beat Australia by 15 runs in a memorable floodlit match in Durban to take their place in the final of the ICC World Twenty20, against Pakistan.
The brilliant left-hander Yuvraj Singh hit 70 off just 30 balls as India won the toss and recovered spectacularly from a sluggish start to total 188-5.
Australia kept in touch through Matthew Hayden (62) and Andrew Symonds (43), despite Sree Santh's excellent 2-12.
But they crumbled when 30 were needed from the last three to end on 173-7.
India won the toss and had little hesitation in opting to bat first at a ground where they had played all but one of their previous matches.
But they were stifled initially, and had to make do with an unthreatening 41-2 after eight overs.
The momentum suddenly changed when Yuvraj, the hitter of six sixes in an over against England on Wednesday, pulled his second ball for another maximum.
He had missed the match against South Africa with a bout of tendinitis of the elbow, but looked in sensational form from the moment he deposited Stuart Clark into the crowd for the first of five sixes.
The dolly mixture bowling of Symonds was treated with thorough disdain by Yuvraj, and Robin Uthappa (34) who was accelerating smoothly after an awkward start.
One of Symonds' overs, the 11th, disappeared for 19 - and featured a six from Yuvraj that bounced about the roof of one of the tall stands at Kingsmead Park.
The 14th over, bowled by Mitchell Johnson, cost 21 as the two batsmen began to really embarrass the Aussies.
Reserve wicket-keeper Brad Haddin was forced to play without the gloves as Australia hunted for replacements to cover hamstring injuries to Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson.
And he flapped aimlessly at a chance at deep extra cover that would have ended Yuvraj's innings on 35.
Australia's sixth bowler, Michael Clarke, was the final man to suffer at the hands of Yuvraj, but also the one to claim his wicket when a big hit went straight to deep mid-wicket.
The big hits continued though, with the normally reliable Nathan Bracken being hit for sixes by Mahendra Dhoni (36) and Rohit Sharma in the 19th over.
Australia needed nine-and-a-half runs per over, and they started their innings with the right mixture of purpose and caution.
The fifth over, bowled by RP Singh, cost 17. But Santh, bowling quite beautifully, then made a horrible mess of Adam Gilchrist's stumps.
Back came Australia; Joginder Sharma's first over was caned for 18 as Hayden finally began to find his range.
Once Symonds also began to propel a few deliveries over the short Kingsmead boundaries, the game was nicely poised.
Virender Sehwag bowled one over, which was pummelled for 20, and Dhoni brought back his trump card, Santh.
The Kerala paceman did not let his skipper down, removing Hayden's off-stump.
Australia were still scoring the 10 runs an over they needed though, and keeping enough wickets in hand, until the crucial 18th over.
But Harbhajan Singh knocked back Symonds' off-stump in an over costing just three, while another tight over from RP Singh left 22 needed off the last.
Australia's remaining batsmen were suddenly rendered powerless and it was India, to the delight of thousands of their fans in the stadium, who emerged victorious.
The brilliant left-hander Yuvraj Singh hit 70 off just 30 balls as India won the toss and recovered spectacularly from a sluggish start to total 188-5.
Australia kept in touch through Matthew Hayden (62) and Andrew Symonds (43), despite Sree Santh's excellent 2-12.
But they crumbled when 30 were needed from the last three to end on 173-7.
India won the toss and had little hesitation in opting to bat first at a ground where they had played all but one of their previous matches.
But they were stifled initially, and had to make do with an unthreatening 41-2 after eight overs.
The momentum suddenly changed when Yuvraj, the hitter of six sixes in an over against England on Wednesday, pulled his second ball for another maximum.
He had missed the match against South Africa with a bout of tendinitis of the elbow, but looked in sensational form from the moment he deposited Stuart Clark into the crowd for the first of five sixes.
The dolly mixture bowling of Symonds was treated with thorough disdain by Yuvraj, and Robin Uthappa (34) who was accelerating smoothly after an awkward start.
One of Symonds' overs, the 11th, disappeared for 19 - and featured a six from Yuvraj that bounced about the roof of one of the tall stands at Kingsmead Park.
The 14th over, bowled by Mitchell Johnson, cost 21 as the two batsmen began to really embarrass the Aussies.
Reserve wicket-keeper Brad Haddin was forced to play without the gloves as Australia hunted for replacements to cover hamstring injuries to Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson.
And he flapped aimlessly at a chance at deep extra cover that would have ended Yuvraj's innings on 35.
Australia's sixth bowler, Michael Clarke, was the final man to suffer at the hands of Yuvraj, but also the one to claim his wicket when a big hit went straight to deep mid-wicket.
The big hits continued though, with the normally reliable Nathan Bracken being hit for sixes by Mahendra Dhoni (36) and Rohit Sharma in the 19th over.
Australia needed nine-and-a-half runs per over, and they started their innings with the right mixture of purpose and caution.
The fifth over, bowled by RP Singh, cost 17. But Santh, bowling quite beautifully, then made a horrible mess of Adam Gilchrist's stumps.
Back came Australia; Joginder Sharma's first over was caned for 18 as Hayden finally began to find his range.
Once Symonds also began to propel a few deliveries over the short Kingsmead boundaries, the game was nicely poised.
Virender Sehwag bowled one over, which was pummelled for 20, and Dhoni brought back his trump card, Santh.
The Kerala paceman did not let his skipper down, removing Hayden's off-stump.
Australia were still scoring the 10 runs an over they needed though, and keeping enough wickets in hand, until the crucial 18th over.
But Harbhajan Singh knocked back Symonds' off-stump in an over costing just three, while another tight over from RP Singh left 22 needed off the last.
Australia's remaining batsmen were suddenly rendered powerless and it was India, to the delight of thousands of their fans in the stadium, who emerged victorious.
Pakistan canter past New Zealand
Imran Nazir helped Pakistan book their place in the Twenty20 World Cup final after an easy six-wicket victory over New Zealand at Newlands in Cape Town.
The Kiwis, having won the toss and elected to bat, made a below-par 143 as they failed to live with an incisive Pakistan attack of whom Umar Gul was the pick with three wickets for 15 runs.
And they were given a lesson in Twenty20 batting as Pakistan strode past their target with Imran Nazir's 59 off 41 balls proving decisive.
New Zealand were as surprised as anyone to be in the semi-finals having been given passage to the last four by South Africa's shock capitulation against India.
Rain interrupted the New Zealand innings briefly with the Kiwis making steady if unremarkable progress.
But Pakistan made the breakthrough in the eighth over when Faward Alam claimed Lou Vincent's wicket with a brilliant return catch.
Vincent had made 28 off 28 balls and he was followed in by fellow opener Brendon McCullum who was 26 off 27 when he was trapped lbw by Shahid Afridi.
The momentum was with Pakistan as Scott Styris (18) and Peter Fulton (10) failed to impress before falling to Umar Gul to leave New Zealand 85 for three and struggling.
The next four wickets fell for 20 runs with Daniel Vettori's trip to the middle the most futile as he was run out before facing a ball having sacrificed himself following a shambolic mix-up with Ross Taylor.
Shane Bond was then run out on 126 after more confusion with Taylor.
And, although he swung freely in the final over as he hit Mohammad Asif four, six, four and finished his innings on 37, Taylor did not redeem himself.
Mohammad Hafeez hit Bond for four off the first ball of the reply as Pakistan started quickly, reaching 19 in two overs.
Hafeez brought up Pakistan's 50 in the sixth over, lifting a six back over Mark Gillespie's head.
But he was claimed lbw by Scott Styris two overs later, having made 32 and a total of 60 for the first wicket in partnership with Imran Nazir.
Nazir brought up his own half-century with a six off Jacob Oram and he made 59 before he was trapped lbw by Jeetan Patel with Pakistan on 104 for three.
New Zealand then looked like making a game of it when Younus Khan feathered a thin edge off Vettori and was caught by McCullum.
And, when Shahid Afridi (six) was caught by Fulton off Bond, Pakistan were suddenly vulnerable at 111 for four after 14 overs.
But Shoaib Malik and Misbah-ul-Haq revived the Pakistan challenge and the captain hit the winning runs in the penultimate over with a majestic six off Patel.
The Kiwis, having won the toss and elected to bat, made a below-par 143 as they failed to live with an incisive Pakistan attack of whom Umar Gul was the pick with three wickets for 15 runs.
And they were given a lesson in Twenty20 batting as Pakistan strode past their target with Imran Nazir's 59 off 41 balls proving decisive.
New Zealand were as surprised as anyone to be in the semi-finals having been given passage to the last four by South Africa's shock capitulation against India.
Rain interrupted the New Zealand innings briefly with the Kiwis making steady if unremarkable progress.
But Pakistan made the breakthrough in the eighth over when Faward Alam claimed Lou Vincent's wicket with a brilliant return catch.
Vincent had made 28 off 28 balls and he was followed in by fellow opener Brendon McCullum who was 26 off 27 when he was trapped lbw by Shahid Afridi.
The momentum was with Pakistan as Scott Styris (18) and Peter Fulton (10) failed to impress before falling to Umar Gul to leave New Zealand 85 for three and struggling.
The next four wickets fell for 20 runs with Daniel Vettori's trip to the middle the most futile as he was run out before facing a ball having sacrificed himself following a shambolic mix-up with Ross Taylor.
Shane Bond was then run out on 126 after more confusion with Taylor.
And, although he swung freely in the final over as he hit Mohammad Asif four, six, four and finished his innings on 37, Taylor did not redeem himself.
Mohammad Hafeez hit Bond for four off the first ball of the reply as Pakistan started quickly, reaching 19 in two overs.
Hafeez brought up Pakistan's 50 in the sixth over, lifting a six back over Mark Gillespie's head.
But he was claimed lbw by Scott Styris two overs later, having made 32 and a total of 60 for the first wicket in partnership with Imran Nazir.
Nazir brought up his own half-century with a six off Jacob Oram and he made 59 before he was trapped lbw by Jeetan Patel with Pakistan on 104 for three.
New Zealand then looked like making a game of it when Younus Khan feathered a thin edge off Vettori and was caught by McCullum.
And, when Shahid Afridi (six) was caught by Fulton off Bond, Pakistan were suddenly vulnerable at 111 for four after 14 overs.
But Shoaib Malik and Misbah-ul-Haq revived the Pakistan challenge and the captain hit the winning runs in the penultimate over with a majestic six off Patel.
India to hot to handle for shocked Proteas
A pumped up India, inspired by a brilliant four-wicket performance from seamer RP Singh, scored a sensational 37-run win over South Africa at Kingsmead on Thursday night to shock a nation.
India booked a World Twenty20 semi against Australia and knocked hosts South Africa out with a 37-run win.
They were reeling on 61-4 but Rohit Sharma (50no) and skipper Mahendra Dhoni (45) shared 84 to help them post 153-5 in bowler-friendly conditions.
RP Singh (4-13) then helped reduce the hosts to 31-5 before Mark Boucher and Albie Morkel both hit 36 to share 69.
But they folded well short of the 126 they needed to progress and New Zealand face Pakistan in the other semi-final.
India's chances of going through were dealt a blow when Yuvraj Singh, who hit six sixes in an over against England, was ruled out with a forearm injury.
And they were then rocked on a pitch offering inconsistent bounce and movement, which reduced the openers to groping outside off-stump.
Gautam Gambhir's attempted heave off Shaun Pollock ballooned to mid-off, Karthik chipped to mid-wicket for a golden duck and it became three wickets in four balls when Virender Sehwag guided Makhaya Ntini behind.
Robin Uthappa carted Johan van der Wath over deep mid-wicket for a big six, but was dropped by Vernon Philander before mis-timing another big shot to Graeme Smith at mid-off.
The inexperienced Sharma initially overshadowed his illustrious skipper Dhoni and began the revival by taking advantage of poor work in the outfield to collect two fours in a row off Ntini.
The pair then hit Morne Morkel for 18, including a massive six over wide long-on from Dhoni, as the partnership went past 50.
After Dhoni was run out chasing a second, Sharma finished with a big six to reach 50 off the final ball.
India had the momentum, and they emphasised that in a torrid opening burst from Sree Santh and RP Singh.
Singh swung the ball back into Herschelle Gibbs to trap him plumb lbw with his first ball and skipper Smith flayed at one outside off-stump and was brilliantly caught by Karthik diving high to his left at slip.
Karthik then took over keeping duties from Dhoni, who appeared to have suffered a back problem in the first over, and both were leaping up with joy when Santh trapped AB de Villiers plumb lbw.
Just when things had calmed down, Boucher called Justin Kemp through for a quick single after dabbing the ball out on the off-side and Rohit Sharma brilliantly found the target with the latter short of the crease.
Amazingly, Pollock then played around one that Singh nipped back in next ball and his leg-stump was uprooted for a golden duck.
Morkel cracked Joginder Sharma and Irfan Pathan through the covers, while Boucher worked Harbhajan doosra through the leg-side and deftly guided him past short third man for three fours in a row, as the home side rallied.
The fifty partnerships came up off 47 balls - hardly the stuff of Twenty20 - but it was quite clear the Proteas had their sights set on scoring at least 126 even though Morkel hammered Joginder Sharma for a straight six.
However, Santh returned to bowl Boucher off an inside edge and Philander, who had endured a miserable time in the field, was beaten by a flighted Harbhajan doosra to be stumped.
That left the equation 20 off two overs for South Africa to stay in the competition and once RP Singh cleaned up their last hope Albie Morkel, the game was up.
It was asking too much for the last three batsmen to conjure up 17 in the final over and Harbhajan added some gloss to a sensational triumph by having Van der Wath stumped.
India booked a World Twenty20 semi against Australia and knocked hosts South Africa out with a 37-run win.
They were reeling on 61-4 but Rohit Sharma (50no) and skipper Mahendra Dhoni (45) shared 84 to help them post 153-5 in bowler-friendly conditions.
RP Singh (4-13) then helped reduce the hosts to 31-5 before Mark Boucher and Albie Morkel both hit 36 to share 69.
But they folded well short of the 126 they needed to progress and New Zealand face Pakistan in the other semi-final.
India's chances of going through were dealt a blow when Yuvraj Singh, who hit six sixes in an over against England, was ruled out with a forearm injury.
And they were then rocked on a pitch offering inconsistent bounce and movement, which reduced the openers to groping outside off-stump.
Gautam Gambhir's attempted heave off Shaun Pollock ballooned to mid-off, Karthik chipped to mid-wicket for a golden duck and it became three wickets in four balls when Virender Sehwag guided Makhaya Ntini behind.
Robin Uthappa carted Johan van der Wath over deep mid-wicket for a big six, but was dropped by Vernon Philander before mis-timing another big shot to Graeme Smith at mid-off.
The inexperienced Sharma initially overshadowed his illustrious skipper Dhoni and began the revival by taking advantage of poor work in the outfield to collect two fours in a row off Ntini.
The pair then hit Morne Morkel for 18, including a massive six over wide long-on from Dhoni, as the partnership went past 50.
After Dhoni was run out chasing a second, Sharma finished with a big six to reach 50 off the final ball.
India had the momentum, and they emphasised that in a torrid opening burst from Sree Santh and RP Singh.
Singh swung the ball back into Herschelle Gibbs to trap him plumb lbw with his first ball and skipper Smith flayed at one outside off-stump and was brilliantly caught by Karthik diving high to his left at slip.
Karthik then took over keeping duties from Dhoni, who appeared to have suffered a back problem in the first over, and both were leaping up with joy when Santh trapped AB de Villiers plumb lbw.
Just when things had calmed down, Boucher called Justin Kemp through for a quick single after dabbing the ball out on the off-side and Rohit Sharma brilliantly found the target with the latter short of the crease.
Amazingly, Pollock then played around one that Singh nipped back in next ball and his leg-stump was uprooted for a golden duck.
Morkel cracked Joginder Sharma and Irfan Pathan through the covers, while Boucher worked Harbhajan doosra through the leg-side and deftly guided him past short third man for three fours in a row, as the home side rallied.
The fifty partnerships came up off 47 balls - hardly the stuff of Twenty20 - but it was quite clear the Proteas had their sights set on scoring at least 126 even though Morkel hammered Joginder Sharma for a straight six.
However, Santh returned to bowl Boucher off an inside edge and Philander, who had endured a miserable time in the field, was beaten by a flighted Harbhajan doosra to be stumped.
That left the equation 20 off two overs for South Africa to stay in the competition and once RP Singh cleaned up their last hope Albie Morkel, the game was up.
It was asking too much for the last three batsmen to conjure up 17 in the final over and Harbhajan added some gloss to a sensational triumph by having Van der Wath stumped.
Gayle fireworks not enough for Westindies
Chris Gayle struck the first ever Twenty20 international century but it was not enough as Herschel Gibbs lead South Africa to victory by eight wickets.
Gayle blasted 10 sixes, another record, in a pulsating 117 from 57 balls.
Graeme Smith was hit painfully on the hand off the first ball as South Africa chased 206 but the Westindies missed three catches and leaked a record 23 wides.
Herschelle Gibbs, with a runner, fired 13 fours and two sixes in an epic 90 to seal victory with 14 balls remaining.
The bright lights and carnival atmosphere even affected the languid Gayle, who skipped out to the wicket like a prize fighter.
Gayle, freed from the pressure of captaincy, flicked Shaun Pollock over mid-wicket for the opening six in the third over and then dished out the punishment to Makhaya Ntini.
A lofted drive straight down the ground was followed next ball by a stupendous towering stroke that soared like a firework into the second tier at long-off.
Another extraordinary stroke brought him six more, leaning back he sliced it to third man and the altitude helped to just elude the boundary fielder.
It was that rare breed a quiet single that brought up his fifty from 26 balls and at the halfway stage it was 109-0.
The big shots continued amid the dancers in camouflage hot pants in the crowd, and having appeared to damage his arm with another whirling dervish follow through for six, he decided to flick one casually next ball - which went even further.
Smith, finding things difficult, edged in the 14th over but it brought in Marlon Samuels, who took all of one delivery to play himself in before swinging his second for six.
But it was all Gayle, and having sent the ball clean out of the massive Wanderers stadium, another breathtaking shot was bounced back off the players' tunnel.
The shell-shocked South African fielders were compelled to shake Gayle's hand when his incredible innings ended with a top-edge straight up in the 17th over.
Had it not been for Gayle, the hosts would have been firmly in the driving seat, with the other West Indies batsmen struggling to adapt, although skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan hit a six with one hand in the final over.
Beginning their quest to score in excess of 10 an over, the Proteas saw their captain floored by a hostile opening delivery from Daren Powell.
Smith bravely battled on but was clearly impaired and it benefited his team when he drove to cover.
With the score on 59-1 and Gibbs on 20, Dwayne Bravo juggled and spilled a crucial chance on the cover boundary.
Dwayne Smith conceded 20 from his opening over and the required rate dipped below 10 for the first time, but after Fidel Edwards came on for the ninth over and sent down the 14th wide, he ousted AB de Villiers who got a towering leading edge.
With 100 needed from the final 10 overs Gibbs was dropped on the boundary again by Shiv Chanderpaul and reached 100 from 50 balls with the powerful Kemp, who was badly missed in the outfield by Samuels.
Gibbs defied injury to display some superb clean hitting, sharing 120 with the powerful Justin Kemp (46) as the Windies were left to rue their lax display in the field and their failure to build on Gayle's outstanding innings.
Gayle blasted 10 sixes, another record, in a pulsating 117 from 57 balls.
Graeme Smith was hit painfully on the hand off the first ball as South Africa chased 206 but the Westindies missed three catches and leaked a record 23 wides.
Herschelle Gibbs, with a runner, fired 13 fours and two sixes in an epic 90 to seal victory with 14 balls remaining.
The bright lights and carnival atmosphere even affected the languid Gayle, who skipped out to the wicket like a prize fighter.
Gayle, freed from the pressure of captaincy, flicked Shaun Pollock over mid-wicket for the opening six in the third over and then dished out the punishment to Makhaya Ntini.
A lofted drive straight down the ground was followed next ball by a stupendous towering stroke that soared like a firework into the second tier at long-off.
Another extraordinary stroke brought him six more, leaning back he sliced it to third man and the altitude helped to just elude the boundary fielder.
It was that rare breed a quiet single that brought up his fifty from 26 balls and at the halfway stage it was 109-0.
The big shots continued amid the dancers in camouflage hot pants in the crowd, and having appeared to damage his arm with another whirling dervish follow through for six, he decided to flick one casually next ball - which went even further.
Smith, finding things difficult, edged in the 14th over but it brought in Marlon Samuels, who took all of one delivery to play himself in before swinging his second for six.
But it was all Gayle, and having sent the ball clean out of the massive Wanderers stadium, another breathtaking shot was bounced back off the players' tunnel.
The shell-shocked South African fielders were compelled to shake Gayle's hand when his incredible innings ended with a top-edge straight up in the 17th over.
Had it not been for Gayle, the hosts would have been firmly in the driving seat, with the other West Indies batsmen struggling to adapt, although skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan hit a six with one hand in the final over.
Beginning their quest to score in excess of 10 an over, the Proteas saw their captain floored by a hostile opening delivery from Daren Powell.
Smith bravely battled on but was clearly impaired and it benefited his team when he drove to cover.
With the score on 59-1 and Gibbs on 20, Dwayne Bravo juggled and spilled a crucial chance on the cover boundary.
Dwayne Smith conceded 20 from his opening over and the required rate dipped below 10 for the first time, but after Fidel Edwards came on for the ninth over and sent down the 14th wide, he ousted AB de Villiers who got a towering leading edge.
With 100 needed from the final 10 overs Gibbs was dropped on the boundary again by Shiv Chanderpaul and reached 100 from 50 balls with the powerful Kemp, who was badly missed in the outfield by Samuels.
Gibbs defied injury to display some superb clean hitting, sharing 120 with the powerful Justin Kemp (46) as the Windies were left to rue their lax display in the field and their failure to build on Gayle's outstanding innings.
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