(Cricket news) West Indies will no longer be able to defend their T20 title after failing to qualify for the World Cup semifinals with a 20 run defeat against Sri Lanka in Abu Dhabi. They will play for pride against Australia on Sunday but will take little pleasure in a positive result in that fixture, having endured a disappointing campaign in the T20 World Cup.
Half centuries by Charith Asalanka and Pathum Nissanka gave Sri Lanka a 91 run stand with the second wicket partnership as they went on to post a mammoth 189-3. Kusal Perera (29 runs from 21) helped his side get off to a decent start with his partnership with Nissanka resulting in 42 runs from the first five overs. Perera was dismissed by Andre Russell (2-33) but Nissanka (51 runs from 41) and Asalanka (68 runs from 41) ensured the runs kept flowing.
Despite Nissanka achieving his half century, the 23 year old was dismissed two balls later after being caught by Shimron Hetmyer at deep midwicket from a Dwayne Bravo delivery. However, Asalanka continued to punish the West Indies, helped by Dasun Shanaka who scored 25 runs from 14. Asalanka was eventually dismissed for 68 runs off 41 balls after being caught by Shimron Hetmyer from Andre Russell’s delivery. Despite the crucial victory, West Indies had the difficult task of scoring 190 runs in 20 overs to keep their hopes alive of progressing into the semifinals.
However, they could not have got off to a worse start with Chris Gayle (1) being dismissed in the second over after being caught by Hasaranga from Binura Fernando’s delivery. His fellow opener Evin Lewis (8) was then bowled by Fernando as West Indies were at 10 – 2. Nicholas Pooran (46 runs off 34) got a reprieve when Maheesh Theekshana squandered two opportunities to dismiss the batter. Roston Chase (9 runs off 8) was dismissed at the other end, being caught by Bhanuka Rajapaksa at midwicket off Chamika Karunaratne’s delivery to make West Indies’ tough task even more difficult.
Some economical bowling by Sri Lanka ensured that West Indies continued to lose wickets in the middle overs while ensuring the run rate kept increasing. After Pooran’s dismissal, Sri Lanka endured a late surge by Shimron Hetmyer (81* runs from 54) who recorded his highest T20 score but as wickets kept tumbling down at the other end, West Indies fell 20 runs short of their target to end a disappointing campaign for the reigning champions.
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