Sachin, Yuvraj steer India Legends into T20 final

Half-centuries from Dwayne Smith and Narsingh Deonarine go in vain as West Indies Legends bow out in the semifinals of the Road Safety World Series.

Sachin Tendulkar (right) and Brian Lara during the Road Safety World Series semifinal on Wednesday. - ROAD SAFETY WORLD SERIES

India Legends defeated West Indies Legends by 13 runs to storm into the final of the Road Safety World Series T20 here.

Sachin Tendulkar led the way with a half-century (65, 42b, 6x4, 3x6), Virender Sehwag scored an entertaining 35 (17b, 5x4, 1x6) and Yuvraj Singh went on a six-hitting spree (49, 20b, 1x4, 6x6) as India posted 218 for three in last night’s semifinal clash.

Chasing 219, West Indies was restricted to 206 for six.

Pacer R. Vinay Kumar took two West Indian wickets - captain Brian Lara (46, 28b, 4x4, 2x6) and Tino Best - at a crucial juncture in the 18th over and it brought India back into the game. Dwayne Smith’s 63 (36b, 9x4s, 2x6s) and Narsingh Deonarine’s 59 (44b, 5x4s, 2x6s) went in vain as West Indies could not repeat its performance against the England Legends and bowed out.

For India, the 19th over proved productive as India’s total ballooned towards the business end of the innings. Yuvraj slammed six sixes in the last two overs. The 19th over saw Yuvraj hit leggie Mahendra Nagamootoo for four hits over the rope while the next two came in the last over of Suleiman Benn.

• India Legends 218 for 3 in 20 overs (Sachin Tendulkar 65, Yuvraj Singh 49 n.o.) beat West Indies Legends 206 for 6 in 20 overs (Dwayne Smith 63, Narsingh Donarine 59 n.o.) by 12 runs.