Following the rain and hail on the previous day, there was lots of weather speculation in the lead-up to India v South Africa.
Cricketing weather gods again threatening Dhaka. Can understand the divine intervention yesterday, but today Samuels won't be batting. #wt20
— Pavilion Opinions (@pavilionopinion) April 4, 2014
The other point of discussion, of course, was South Africa's poor record in knock-out games.
Since 2000, India have played 6 ICC Semi Finals & won them all & SA have played 6 ICC SFs & lost them all. (Via: @SeerviBharath) #WT20
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) April 4, 2014
Perhaps our most cherished stat in any sport; South Africa have never won in a knockout stage of a World Cup. Now that's consistency #wt20
— 51allout (@51allout) April 4, 2014
At the toss chat, MS Dhoni let us know how he spent the four days between games. Discovering his inner self wasn't it.
Dhoni plays FIFA. We are all set for a Bopara v Dhoni FIFA special aren't we? Stream it live on YouTube.
— Sim Mahon (@SimUKCricket) April 4, 2014
South Africa came out punching. Quinton de Kock was out soon, but Hashim Amla opened up with some rousing strokes.
Just had to do a double take after reading Cricinfo headline, "Bhuvneshwar nips out de Kock early"
— Simon Wilde (@swildecricket) April 4, 2014
Amla Weak Zone. Please. The very concept is offensive.
— Dave Tickner (@tickerscricket) April 4, 2014
Well time shot. Amlamazing.
— Burton DeWitt (@bsd987) April 4, 2014
Amla moves about in the crease just like I used to ... in Brian Lara Cricket '98. #WT20 #SavInd
— Liam Brickhill (@Gomorezvidinha) April 4, 2014
Amla's strong zone is batting in cricket matches. #wt20
— Pavilion Opinions (@pavilionopinion) April 4, 2014
...and on the seventh day God created Amla...#IndvSA #WT20
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) April 4, 2014
Mohit Sharma took some tap, and Dhoni persisted with him despite that. India struggled a bit in the field as well.
Awful Indian fielding. Nasser on commentary. Ravi Shastri cracks his knuckles just as a friendly warning... #wt20
— Pavilion Opinions (@pavilionopinion) April 4, 2014
You forgot Ishant Sharma? RT @coolfunnytshirt Mohit Sharma seems to be the Rohit Sharma of bowlers. #IndvsSA
— Rajarshi Dutta (@RD_justRD) April 4, 2014
R Ashwin came on with India needing a wicket. And he produced it, landing a carrom ball on leg stump, and spinning it across Amla to hit off stump.
Rash > Hash
— Monish (@Crownish) April 4, 2014
Why MSD didn't bring Ashwin earlier on will remain as much of a mystery as Ashwin's mystery ball itself. #wt20 #saVind
— Mohan Krishnamoorthy (@mohank) April 4, 2014
T20 Ball of the Century from Ashwin. #baffling #dhonisgotoman
— Adam Gilchrist (@gilly381) April 4, 2014
The wicket pegged South Africa back, and Faf du Plessis and JP Duminy took a while reviving the innings.
Tons of finishers to come, but before you know it this innings will be ... Er, finished!
— Rob Houwing (@RobHouwing) April 4, 2014
Duminy is on strike, by which I mean he is refusing to work #INDvSA #WT20
— Colin Fry (@colinfry666) April 4, 2014
Du Plessis broke free with a few big hits off Amit Mishra who was having a rare off day.
Faf du Plessix.
— Burton DeWitt (@bsd987) April 4, 2014
Mishra may well be the ultimate mystery spinner. In that it's a mystery how someone who looks like a postal worker can get a gig #wt20
— 51allout (@51allout) April 4, 2014
From there, there was no looking back for du Plessis. Shoulders drooped among Indian supporters.
A. Mishra is in his anagram avatar today, i.e. that of I. Sharma
— Diogeneb (@diogeneb) April 4, 2014
@congusmaximus but more importantly, not have to play sri lanka
— Mohan Krishnamoorthy (@mohank) April 4, 2014
India needed a wicket, and Dhoni brought back his trump card.
Ravi Ashwarne back into the attack...
— Pavilion Opinions (@pavilionopinion) April 4, 2014
Du Plessis fell to another carrom ball, which rolled onto the stumps off his body.
This tournament has raised the bar for comedy dismissals.
— Dave Tickner (@tickerscricket) April 4, 2014
Faf du Plessis weak zone: Armpit #wt20
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) April 4, 2014
De Villiers meant business from the time he walked out. He played a reverse sweep from leg stump through backward point for four.
AB has his own batting manual that is not MCC approved.....
— Khanyiso Tshwaku (@kaymorizm) April 4, 2014
Mishra's troubles meant Suresh Raina bowled a full spell.
One over too many after the one over that was too many?
— Sim Mahon (@SimUKCricket) April 4, 2014
The frenetic action seemed to be getting to everyone.
@AltCricket little bit concerned about the 71% that voted yes. Unless they meant all the way back home #hupholland pic.twitter.com/TldmyLSg2v
— Pieter Malan (@pieterm87) April 4, 2014
Ashwin removed de Villiers too with a carrom ball, but South Africa finished well thanks to JP Duminy and David Miller. Mohit travelled again in the 20th over.
That wasnt even in arc. Still out of park. #MillerPower
— Mazher Arshad (@cricket_U) April 4, 2014
joginder .ishant rohit mohit dhoni trusts his sharmas #wt20
— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) April 4, 2014
India needed 173 to enter the final. South Africa had never lost a T20 game after scoring 166 or more.
Prediction: India will be 17/7 after 4.4 overs when rain comes.
— Burton DeWitt (@bsd987) April 4, 2014
Tahir busy applying Make-up. FFS... knew we shouldn't have left him with Shane Warne yesterday.
— Quinton not de Kock (@notdekock) April 4, 2014
JP Duminy and Albie Morkel got the new ball, which surprised some.
Not opening with Dale Steyn is like employing Katie Price at a lingerie store and making her work in the back office. #IndvSA #WT20
— Freddie Wilde (@fwildecricket) April 4, 2014
Rohit Sharma kick-started the chase with some expansive strokes, including a six in Steyn's first over.
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Fast bowlers hunt in packs they say. It helps if they all have the same hairstyle.
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Rohit Sharma perished to a Hendricks slower ball that he spooned straight up for a simple catch.
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Virat Kohli wasn't distracted by the hairstyles. He got going without a fuss, though Ajinkya Rahane struggled after starting well. Would spin do the trick for South Africa?
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The pressure piled up on India, with Yuvraj Singh taking a while to find his shots.
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Kohli and Yuvraj gradually turned it on.
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Yuvraj perished in looking to take on Tahir, and Suresh Raina walked in ahead of his captain.
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Raina got lucky in a Wayne Parnell over, with 14 runs coming off edges. Kohli, meanwhile, was looking invincible.
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South Africa had gambled by keeping three Steyn overs for the end. The move backfired, as he had too few to play with. Raina perished after taking India to the brink. But Kohli stayed on to hit the winning runs in the final over.
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And so, again, it's those two old adversaries, in blue and dark blue, who will play the final.
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We'll save the remaining #IndvSL jokes for Sunday.