DWAYNE Bravo’s all-round brilliance helped West Indies pull off a shock win over India in the World Twenty20 at Lord’s.

Bravo struck an adventurous half-century to guide the West Indians to a seven-wicket victory in the Super Eights clash which has thrown open Group E.

He finished unbeaten on 66, scored from only 36 deliveries, with the winning runs coming in the penultimate over when he lofted a majestic six over extra cover off Zaheer Khan.

Earlier, Bravo claimed four wickets with the ball as reigning champions India recovered from a slow start to set a 154-run target.

West Indies also struggled at the beginning of their innings and Bravo walked to the crease at 42 for two in the eighth over.

But his ability to manipulate the ball all around the wicket, married to his awesome striking ability, meant Chris Gayle’s team got home with eight balls to spare.

The match was finished in a hurry as Bravo and veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul blitzed 47 runs in the final 3.4 overs.

Having set up that late dash with a cunning alliance with Lendl Simmons, Bravo made the most of being afforded a life on 27 moments before his third-wicket partner holed out for 44.

A mix-up should have resulted in Bravo being run out by wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni but his failure to gather with the stumps at his mercy proved crucial.

Later in the over, Bravo lofted the first of his three sixes and the second, a steepler over long-off in the 17th over, sent down by fast bowler Ishant Sharma, virtually sealed the result.

Sixteen runs came off that Sharma over and Harbhajan Singh – who bowled a maiden in the powerplay period – was taken for 15 in the next.

So much depends on West Indies captain Gayle in this format but his relative failure – he was out to a skier after launching at off-spinner Yusuf Pathan – proved irrelevant this time.

West Indies now face England’s conquerors South Africa today, knowing a victory will put them on the verge of the semi-finals.