India not shamed

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni wants his team to return home from the World Twenty20 with their heads held high despite failing to make the semi-finals for the third time in a row.

The one-run win over South Africa in Tuesday night's last Super Eights match in Colombo left the 2007 champions level with Australia and Pakistan on points, but a poor net run-rate ended their campaign.

India, who scored 152-6, needed to keep South Africa below 122 to go ahead of Pakistan's run-rate, but the Proteas rode on a 38-ball 65 from Faf du Plessis to make 151 all out.

Dhoni's men failed to make the semi-finals despite winning four of their five games, while the West Indies advanced with just one win without the use of the Super Over tie-breaker.

"I think it was quite a satisfactory performance," said Dhoni, who led India to victory in the inaugural World Twenty20 in South Africa in 2007 in his first stint as captain. "In this tournament, we lost just one game, though we lost it badly," he said, referring to the nine-wicket loss to Australia in a rain-affected Super Eights match on September 28.

"We all know what impact rain has on bowlers, especially the spinners. So let us get practical about what the reason was and ask whether it was the real fault of the players.

"It is not, it can happen in this format. AFP