Super 12 round is now on finishing stage but other than Pakistan and England five teams of Group A and Group B are struggling to get their place in Final four. Sri Lanka beat west indies in easy cum nail biting match by 20 runs and outed West Indies from Final four race as well as themselves.
In another match of Thursday Australia beat Bangladesh by eight wickets and lowered the South Africa on net run rate but the same points 6 in four matches, both are strong contenders for 2nd place in the group after England who already qualified for the Semi’s as group topper. South Africa will face England in their last match of super 12 stage on Saturday while on same day in another match Australia will face West Indies and if Caribbean’s won this match they will repeat the history of 1992 WC almost after 29 years. West Indies who was already out of World Cup Semi’s race in 1992 was victorious against Host and defending champion of 1992 World Cup and in result of that victory Australis also outed from 1992 World Cup. Same situation is now West Indies already out from the T20 WC2021 but if they won the match against Australia, baggies will be out from T20 WC2021.
While in the Group B Pakistan already qualified into the Semi’s as unbeaten team with 8 points four victories in four matches while New Zealand who beat Scotland by 16 runs and made points equal to Afghanistan 4 in three matches on Wednesday but their net run rate is lower than the Afghanistan therefore they need must win against Afghanistan to get the place in Semi Final of T20 WC2021 otherwise net run rate will decide the second semi finalist from this group.
As per rules England will face second number team of Group B and Pakistan will face 2nd number team of Group A.
ICC on SL v WI
Charith Asalanka and Pathum Nissanka’s impressive batting performances led Sri Lanka to a 20-run victory over the West Indies, concluding their ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 campaign on a positive note.
The duo combined for a 91-run partnership for the second wicket, with Asalanka scoring 68 and Nissanka 51, powering their team to 189 for three and setting a formidable target.
Kieron Pollard’s team never matched up to the challenge, and despite Shimron Hetmyer’s late heroics with an unbeaten 81, they finished on 169 for eight from their 20 overs.
In a strategic move, the West Indies chose to start with the off-spin of Roston Chase in the opening over for the first time in the tournament, aiming to contain Kusal Perera. Perera managed to cautiously guide the third ball to the boundary for four runs.
Both the left-handed batsman, in search of his breakthrough innings, and Nissanka settled in comfortably. Perera, in particular, was aggressive against a short delivery from Ravi Rampaul, dispatching it flat over square leg for a six.
Perera perished on 29 when he offered a sharp return catch to Andre Russell, who adjusted his weight superbly to dive down and pouch the catch.
From 42 for one, Nissanka and Asalanka built their partnership characterized by delicate glances and inventive use of the crease to accumulate runs predominantly behind square.
Akeal Hosein’s spin had troubled Nissanka, who responded by employing the reverse sweep to loft him for a one-bounce four, bringing their partnership to 50 runs.
Frustration mounted in the field when Russell induced an edge from Nissanka, only for the ball to evade fielders and reach the boundary. Russell then erred with a delivery down the leg side, which Asalanka flicked to the boundary.
They built a partnership of 91 from 61 balls, that came to an end when Dwayne Bravo’s latest slower ball variation forced Nissanka into a big swing and he was caught by Hetmyer.
Sri Lanka maintained their momentum, with skipper Dasun Shanaka joining Asalanka to accelerate the scoring. The 17th and 18th overs yielded 16 and 17 runs respectively, keeping the pressure on the opposition.
Two further blows for four from each of them was followed by Asalanka’s superb knock coming to an end when he top-edged a pull off Russell that Hetmyer did well to dive forward and grab.
Rampaul delivered an excellent final over, but the momentum remained firmly with Sri Lanka, carrying over into the beginning of the West Indies’ run chase.
Tall fast bowler Binura Fernando induced a soft dismissal from Chris Gayle, who lofted a simple catch to Wanindu Hasaranga at mid-on.
After a pair of quick boundaries from Evin Lewis, he forced the other Windies opener to chop onto his stumps and it was 10 for two.
Fernando was in the thick of it and he took punishment from Nicholas Pooran, who cut loose with three boundaries in four balls from his second over including an emphatic six over wide long-on.
Just as Chase appeared to have settled, he was dismissed by a spectacular diving catch at midwicket from Bhanuka Rajapaksa. Rajapaksa dove to his left to take an exceptional catch, sending Chase back to the pavilion for nine runs.
Pooran and Hetmyer tried to steady the ship but the latter failed to score quickly enough to prevent his partner from having to take undue risks.
They combined for 30 from 34 balls but Pooran went for one big shot too many and holed out off Dushmanatha Chameera to long-off for 46.
Oddly, the loss of Pooran seemed to free Hetmyer to play his natural game and he hooked the very next ball for six and then crashed Chameera for four in an eventful 13th over.
The revival didn’t last long, as Andre Russell offered a straightforward return catch to Chamika Karunaratne, leaving the Windies at 94 for five. This setback appeared to severely dent their chances of recovery.
The situation appeared unfavourable, and despite Hetmyer hitting three boundaries off Karunaratne in that over, Pollard’s dismissal for a golden duck effectively settled the match with the score at 107 for six.
Hetmyer played a remarkable innings, smashing Karunaratne consecutive sixes, followed by a boundary, finishing unbeaten on 81 from 54 balls.
It was an emphatic way for Sri Lanka to finish an encouraging tournament, while West Indies will hope to end their title defence with victory over Australia on Saturday.
Scores in brief
Sri Lanka beat West Indies at the Sheikh Zayed International Stadium, Abu Dhabi by 20 runs
Sri Lanka 189/3 in 20 overs (Charith Asalanka 68; Pathum Nissanka 51; Andre Russell 2/33, Dwayne Bravo 1/42)
West Indies 169/8 in 20 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 81 not out, Nicholas Pooran 46; Wanindu Hasaranga 2/19, Binura Fernando 2/24)
Player of the Match: Charith Asalanka (Sri Lanka)
