Twitter Reactions: West Indies ride on Lendl Simmons’ luck into the finals

India v West Indies semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium was expected to be electric, with the passionate crowd and of course batsman friendly conditions. So was it but only for the initial half of the game as West Indies outplayed India and break a billion hopes. MS Dhoni lost the toss and at the same moment looked uneasy. Something we have never seen with him at the centre. India were to bowl second and it was going to have a huge impact since they had two spinners, largely depend on them and the dew took them out of the equation. In the end, Lendl Simmons riding on some superb luck was too good on the night and knocked India out of the tournament.

Coming in with a changed combination, the hosts had a relatively better start with both Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane first taking their time to settle in and then playing some good shots. Rohit looked in ominous form but got out before making it big. The man in superb touch Virat Kohli walked in and produced another master class knock. It was his 47-ball 89 that ensured India reached 192.

Against the common opinion Dhoni started with his pacers and Jasprit Bumrah took off really well with a full inswinging yorker to Chris Gayle and uprooted his off-stump. The entire Indian crowd at the stadium though they had the game; but Gayle’s partner Johnson Charles ensured they weren’t rocked back on the run rate and his 36-ball fifty gave Windies just the right platform for such a chase. He had a great partnership with Lendl Simmons.

Simmons was the man of the night for the West Indies, though he got three lives he led the charge for his team and he stayed there till the end. Dhoni was out of options since there was lot of dew, his spinners couldn’t grip the ball, it skidded off the surface and was easy picking. Ravichandran Ashwin bowled just one over and Ravindra Jadeja in his four went for 48. In the crunch last over Dhoni once again handed the ball to Virat who had picked a wicket in his first over but his magic didn’t work this time round as Andre Russell hit another huge six and the Wankhede went into dead silence.

Here is how the Twitter world reacted to the match:

The awkward moment when more than 1.30 billion Indians have to make new plans for next Sunday. #IndvsWI #T20WC

— FQueued Ińdíán (@i_theindian) March 31, 2016

Well done WI. India, not good on the field today. #IndvsWI #AKLive #WT20

— Anil Kumble (@anilkumble1074) March 31, 2016

Another top game in Mumbai, good wicket always produces high quality contest. Congratulations @westindies a real show of resilience #wt20

— Tom Moody (@TomMoodyCricket) March 31, 2016

West Indies, deserving finalists. They love this form of the game. Wish them well in the final.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) March 31, 2016

Great great great!!! Well done Windies!!! #silence #wankhede #WestindiesvsEngland #ICCWT20 #finals proud to be West Indian

— Brian Lara (@BrianLara) March 31, 2016

https://twitter.com/PiaBajpai/status/715593873339187200

We have lost with our heads held high. Well played team India. Better luck next time. #IndvsWI #WT20

— Amit A (@Amit_smiling) March 31, 2016

For me, India has won the World Cup when we have defeated Pakistan in kolkatta and I mean it. Good Night.#IndVsWI

— Chicken Biryanii (@ChickenBiryanii) March 31, 2016

#IndvsWI..you win some – you lose some but a great game of cricket .. Well played WI and hard luck #TeamIndia .. Sad but still proud ??

— Randeep Hooda (@RandeepHooda) March 31, 2016

Both WI men and women team are in finals.. Golden Era Returnin ? #IndvsWI

— Troll Cinema ( TC ) (@Troll_Cinema) March 31, 2016

Well played Team India and Thank you for the memories.. Congratulations Team WI 🙂 superb performance !! #TeamIndiaFirst #IndvsWI

— Indian Cyborg ?? (@IndianCyborg9) March 31, 2016

Being a CA student i have one message to Team India " Koi baat nahi, agle attempt mein world cup jarur jeet jaayenge!"#IndvsWI

— Sunil- The Cricketer (@1sInto2s) March 31, 2016

Every Indian right now #IndvsWI pic.twitter.com/zCX0Gz2aoH

— Raghav Chadha (@raghav_chadha) March 31, 2016

By their own admission Indns didn't play up2 100% ability..so comisserations are n order but let's not 4get this was best game o WT20..!!

— Bishan Bedi (@BishanBedi) March 31, 2016

We Were Prepared For #Gayle But Simmons Came Out Of Syllabus.
Congrats #WI, Better Defeat #Eng In Finals#IndvsWI #DilSay #INDvsENG #WIvIND

— Sir Ravindra Jadeja (@SirJadeja) March 31, 2016

This is not the April 1st prank I was hoping for. #IndvsWI

— Amicable Brumby (@brumbyOz) March 31, 2016

Me right now ???#IndvsWI pic.twitter.com/AzjlbUbcg1

— U M E R (@AadatSyMajboor) March 31, 2016

Two successive semi-final losses for India
– lost to Australia in World Cup 2015
– now to West Indies in T20WC 2016#INDvsWI#DimagSay#Bing

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) March 31, 2016

How did the game dwell on Twitter? – World T20 2nd Semi-Final: India v West Indies Live social feeds