England shocks title favourites India

England (153-7) held on to beat the pre-tournament favourites India (150-5) last night at Lord's in the World20 to keep their own hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals alive and to knock the Indians out.

The hosts batted first and thanks to a Ravi Bopara (37) and Kevin Pietersen (46 off 27 balls) reached a score that was par for the pitch and the conditions. On batting themselves, the Indians were stifled by two wickets for Ryan Sidebottom that left them on 24-2 after four overs.

Dangerman Yuvraj Singh, who scored 36 in one over off Stuart Broad at the last World Twenty20, whacked two sixes, one off spinner Graham Swann, before being stumped off the slow bowler to leave India on 97-5 with just six overs to go.

Tight bowling at the death from Sidebottom and Broad saw England home by three runs. England must now beat the West Indies today to qualify for the semi finals.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
Mike Selvey, the Guardian: "While there was Yuvraj Singh there was hope. This talismanic smiter of a ball can turn a match in a single over. Last night, coming to the crease with his side in ­trouble, he swung lazily at his first ball from Dimitri Mascarenhas and deposited it over long-on. To Graeme Swann he repeated the exercise. But Swann, in the 15th over of the innings, was to make the crucial strikes. First, Ravindra Jadeja, looking to hit his way out, was superbly caught above his head at long-on by ­Stuart Broad. Four balls later, Yuvraj, driving and missing, lifted his back foot a fraction, time enough for James Foster to remove the bails. It was a fine piece of wicket­keeping, in that one move justifying his inclusion at the expense of a better batsman but inferior gloveman in Matt Prior."

Patrick Kidd, the Times: "An inspired display in the field against India at Lord’s yesterday helped the host nation to knock out the defending champions. Aggressive bowling and disciplined fielding lay at the heart of a three-run victory that broke the hearts of a billion Indians and silenced the large and passionate crowd of away supporters. Paul Collingwood, the England captain, said that being heckled as his side warmed up had spurred on his side. 'We got booed at the home of cricket by the India fans, which was a bit strange, so that gave us a bit of motivation,' he said."

Nick Hoult, Daily Telegraph: "England had a plan and stuck to it. They bowled short and tucked up batsmen who love to free their arms and play aggressive Twenty20 cricket. It worked. Brilliantly so. But the key dismissal was claimed by a spinner, Graeme Swann, although it was the wicket-keeper James Foster who deserved the acclaim. His stumping of Yuvraj Singh, just when he looked fully loaded and ready to attack, vindicated all those who have long cried out for England to pick a stumper with hands quicker than his bat." ·