Unbeaten South Africa crush India

A pathetic India could not salvage their lost pride and sunk to a 12-run defeat against South Africa to end their miserable Twenty20 World Cup campaign on a losing note at Nottingham on Tuesday night.

India used as many as eight bowlers to restrict South Africa to a modest total of 130 runs. AB de Villiers top-scored for the Proteas with a 51-ball 63 with the help of seven fours.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith preferred to set India a target after he won the toss on a sluggish track but it was far from a perfect start for the Proteas who lost Herschelle Gibbs (5) in the second over.

Hit through cover for a searing boundary, RP Singh had his revenge when Gibbs dragged the next one onto his stumps to make an early exit. Not that Smith (26) or de Villiers panicked. On the contrary, de Villiers cut with ferocity and drove with elan and RP Singh bore the brunt of his wrath.

Gautam Gambhir (21) and Rohit Sharma (29) gave India a strong start but it was Yuvraj Singh's run-a-ball 25 that actually rekindled India's hopes of a win in their swansong tie before the defending champions faltered. Going by their start, a defeat never looked like a possibility for India.

Gambhir holed out in the deep trying to hit Botha and the spinner returned to snare off-colour Suresh Raina (3) in his next over.

Rohit then sliced a dolly at backward point and as if it was not enough, Mahendra Singh Dhoni (5) ran himself out, going for a non-existent single and that too off a wide delivery. The crisis was not over yet.

Yusuf Pathan never looked like comfortable against Roelof van der Merwe and returned scoreless following his soft dismissal. Yuvraj tried his best but fell in the 19th over, which put paid to India's hopes for a win.