Dhoni bemoans costly no-balls after India exit

MS Dhoni said India only had themselves to blame after they contributed to their own downfall in a seven-wicket World Twenty20 semi-final defeat to West Indies on Thursday.

India were strong favourites to face England in Sunday’s final at Eden Park when Chris Gayle fell cheaply and the Windies slumped to 19-2 after Virat Kohli (89 not out from 47 balls) produced another masterclass to get the hosts up to 192-2.

But Lendl Simmons (82no from 51) was given two reprieves after being caught, only to be called back when replays showed Ravichandran Ashwin and Hardik Pandya had overstepped when he was on 18 and 50.

Simmons also got lucky when Ravindra Jadeja caught him on the boundary, but stepped on the rope and the Windies batsman – called up as a replacement for Andre Fletcher this week – took advantage to see his side home.

Johnson Charles (52 off 36) and Andre Russell (43no from 20) also played key roles, but it was a lack of discipline which let Simmons off the hook which irked Dhoni.

The India captain said: “You have to take into account, if you get a wicket and no-ball there is no-one else to blame.

“They were quite crucial if we would have got those wickets. When there is pressure that’s where you have to be at your best.

“A no-ball is something than can be avoided, especially a front-foot no ball.”

Dhoni also felt that losing the toss proved to be a crucial factor after his side’s hopes of winning the tournament on home soil were shattered.

He added: “It was a bad toss to lose [because of the dew], when we started bowling the spinners did not have much on offer, we have a history of problems when the spinners bowl with a wet ball.”