Indian blitz destroys West Indies

India 284-9 (50 overs, C.Pujara 97, G.Dhiman 74, R.Sharma 50, J.Searles 6-68); West Indies 158 (38.5 overs). India won by 126 runs.

An Indian blitz with bat and ball took them sailing into the Super League semi-finals and put paid to the West Indies' hopes of ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup glory.

India brushed aside the challenge of Leon Johnson's side in a one-sided match at the R.Premadasa Stadium, beating them by 126 runs and underlining why they are regarded as red-hot favourites.

Their success was based on quick starts in both innings that left the West Indies breathless.

First, openers Gaurav Dhiman (74) and Cheteshwar Pujara (97) added 110 from just 14 overs as India set off at a breakneck pace.

The West Indies fought back in the second half of that innings but still faced the daunting task of chasing 285 to win and that soon became a hopeless cause thanks to fired-up Indian bowling and fielding.

Ravikant Shukla's line-up reduced them to 41-6 and from there it was always just a case of the West Indies avoiding the lowest total of the tournament - 74 by Uganda against Pakistan - and achieving respectability.

They did that but were eventually dismissed for 158 in 38.5 overs.

India now face England in the day-night semi-final at the R.Premadasa Stadium next Wednesday while the West Indies will play Bangladesh in the first Super League lower-place semi-final, at the Sinhalese Sports Club, also on Wednesday.

Man of the match Dhiman and Pujara came out with all guns blazing after Shukla won the toss.

The tone was set by the first ball of the match, bowled by Javon Searles. It went for five wides down the leg-side - one of 15 he bowled and 28 the West Indies conceded out of 33 extras - and after just one over India had 12 runs on the board.

Dhiman, in particular, took full control as 15 runs came off Kemar Roach's third over and the Indian 50 arrived in just six overs.

That sort of progress forced Johnson to turn to spin as early as the eighth over in a desperate attempt to achieve some control.

That change had little effect at first as off-spinner Sunil Narine was greeted by a charging Dhiman, who clobbered him over extra-cover for six on his way to 50 from just 35 balls with eight fours and a six.

After 10 overs India had raced to 83-0 and Dhiman and Pujara registered only the second century opening stand of the tournament. They posted the other one too, the 147 they added against Namibia last Monday.

They were eventually separated when Dhiman was stumped by William Perkins from an off-side wide by Narine after facing just 54 balls and hammering 10 fours and three sixes.

"That is the way Gaurav plays," said coach Venkatesh Prasad afterwards.

"He was unlucky against Sri Lanka when he was caught at third man by what must be one of the catches of the tournament but we just like to let him be himself.

"If he starts playing in that way then there is no stopping him."

West Indies manager Jimmy Adams added: "We just ran into a very good innings by a young man today.

"Our lads had no answer and although I cannot fault our effort we had no way back into the game after that."

Pujara eventually fell just three runs short of his hundred, leg before wicket to Searles after facing 136 balls in 183 minutes at the crease, hitting nine fours, while Rohit Sharma made his second successive half-century with 50 from 57 deliveries.

That duo added 99 for the second wicket and at 209-1 with 15 overs left, India looked set for a score of around 320.

But Sharma's dismissal, caught by Johnson off the bowling of leg-spinner Sharmarh Brooks was the start of a batting slide and only one other player, Ravindra Jadeja (10) made double figures.

Javon Searles deserved credit for a fine comeback after his ragged start as he ended up with 6-68. Brooks was impressive with 1-46 and the other wicket-takers were Roach (1-40) and Narine (1-48), while Rishi Bachan bowled nine overs for 46 and Jason Mohammed's six overs cost 31.

The West Indies showed on Friday against South Africa they could chase a target but they were never given a chance to establish a platform as India's bowlers and fielders blew them away.

Vijaykumar Yomahesh (4-25) and Dhiman (3-27) ripped the top-order apart, helped by brilliant fielding. Abu Nechim Ahmed's flying leap at mid-on to catch Gajanand Singh was just one of the highlights of their effort.

"We won the game in the first hour of our fielding effort," said Prasad.

"We were aware of their strengths as a batting side as we watched footage of them the night before the game.

"We bowled to our strengths and stuck to the basics and that catch at mid-on will be one of the catches of the tournament."

Opener Andre Fletcher top-scored for the West Indies with 44 but the only other players to pass 20 were Searles (22) and Narine (29 not out) as they added respectability to the total.

India made one change from the side that beat Sri Lanka on Friday, replacing Saurabh Bandekar with Mayank Tehlan, whose 64 as super sub was vital in helping to secure that win.

Tehlan finished that match in agony because of cramp but recovered to take his place in the starting eleven against the West Indies with Mohnish Parmar named as super sub.

The West Indies were once again without opener Richard Ramdeen following the blow he took to his right wrist while fielding against Australia on Wednesday.

They were unchanged from the side that beat South Africa by seven wickets on Friday to seal their Super League quarter-final place.