A supreme unbeaten half-century by Virat Kohli saw India ease past South Africa by six wickets and into the World Twenty20 final.
Proteas skipper Francois du Plessis opted to post a total and led from the front with 58 in Dhaka, where India were faced with overhauling 172 for four – off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin magnificently bowling Hashim Amla on his way to 3-22.
But Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s team formed useful partnerships throughout an innings that had Kohli as its stylish core.
The man of the match compiled an imperious 72 from 44 balls, his third fifty of the competition, and fittingly clipped the first ball of the final over through wide long-on to seal victory.
It means India will look to add the World T20 title to the World Cup and Champions Trophy crowns they currently hold when they face Sri Lanka in Sunday’s final.
The Proteas lost Quinton de Kock for six during in the first over as he attempted to heave a Bhuvneshwar Kumar delivery through the leg side, inside edging to wicketkeeper Dhoni.
Amla and du Plessis then began to find the rope with some consistency but Amla was next to go for 22 when Ashwin took off stump with a beauty.
That brought JP Duminy to the crease and he added 71 in 8.4 overs alongside du Plessis, including 16 in the 12th and 17 in the 13th.
Du Plessis' played on to Ashwin with the score on 115 and it soon became 129 for four when key man AB de Villiers top-edged the same bowler to Rohit Sharma at long leg.
Duminy and David Miller then closed the innings in fine fashion, returning to the pavilion with 45 and 23 to their names.
India got their reply off to a flying start and were 33 without loss after three overs before du Plessis held a steepler for Beuran Hendricks to remove Sharma on 24.
Ajinkya Rahane and Kohli added 38 for the second wicket without overly extending themselves. When Rahane top-edged Wayne Parnell to de Villers for 31, India were 77 for two off 9.3 overs.
If Kohli then put his foot down, he did so in crushed velvet slippers – taking the lead in a stand of 56 with Yuvraj Singh, who fell for 18 as de Villiers took a brilliant catch that this time benefitted leg-spinner Imran Tahir.
Suresh Raina came and went for a breezy 21 off 10. It left Kohli to deservingly apply the final flourish, Dhoni having seen out the final ball of the penultimate over with a textbook defensive stroke to hand him that honour.