Thanks to a brilliant allround performance by Nikhil Copra, India beat Australia by five wickets and qualified for the Plate Final of the Cathay Pacific/Standard Chartered Cricket Sixes 2001, being played at the Kowloon Cricket Club in Hong Kong, on Sunday. India will meet Hong Kong in the final, while Australia who have lost all the matches they have played so far, will meet UAE for the last two positions.

Australia won the toss and elected to bat first. In what was their best batting performance of the tournament so far, Australia played attacking cricket to make 97/2 in five overs. Brendon Julian was caught and bowled by Nikhil Chopra for a duck. Tom Moody (33 off 12 balls) struck seven boundaries to lead the way for the Aussies.

David Hookes played a little cameo, striking three sixes and two boundaries to score 26 off nine balls. Dean Jones was not to be left behind, he too made 26 runs off just six balls, striking two sixes and three boundaries. Chopra was the best of Indian bowlers with the figures of 1-0-5-1.

India got off to a flying start thanks to Nikhil Chopra again. Julian bowled the first over and Chopra smashed 30 runs off the six balls. Chopra had to retire not out after making 33 runs off just eight balls, smashing four sixes and one four. Robin Singh (6) missed out on the fun, caught brilliantly by Julian at the long on fence. Rohan Gavaskar played the best knock of the tournament so far, he faces six balls to score 33* (4 sixes, 1 five, 1 four).

Badani played an outrageous reverse sweep off Matthews for four and remained unbeaten on 7. Joshi smashes 19 runs off seven deliveries to take India to 102/1 and to the Plate Final.

© Cricinfo