Thaindian News

Gros Islet (St. Lucia), May 12 (IANS) Australia qualified for the semifinal with a four-wicket win over the West Indies in the last Group F match of the Super Eights and eliminated the hosts from the World Twenty20 here Tuesday.
West Indies were bowled out for just 105 in 19 overs, after skipper Chris Gayle opted to bat first on the slow track at the Beausejour Stadium. Australia were through with the task in 16.2 overs scoring 109 runs by losing four wickets after Brad Haddin top scored with 42 and opener David Warner smashed a 12-ball 25.

Australia, Group F toppers, will face defending champions and Group E runners-up Pakistan in Friday’s semi-final while Group E winners England will face Sri Lanka, the Group F runners-up at the Beausejour Stadium here Thursday.

Australia went about with their job in a clinical way with Warner hitting four fours and a six in his 12-ball innings.

Warner and his opening partner Shane Watson (5) departed in quick succession but Hadddin along with his captain Michael Clarke (16) added 46 runs for the third wicket to take Australia to the threshold of the win.

Earlier in the day, West Indies, who had to win the match by 24 runs to deny Sri Lanka a place in the semi-finals, suffered a dramatic collapse from the relative safety of 52 for two. They lost their next five wickets for 25 runs as they slumped to 77 for five. Only Ramnaresh Sarwan (26) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (24) could cross 20.

Australia leg-spinner Steven Smith took two wickets in two balls en route to his way to figures of three wickets for 20 runs to bag the Man of the Match.

West Indies saw captain Chris Gayle (4) out in the second ball when a Dirk Nannes delivery jagged back off the seam. Sarwan and Chaderpaul added 34 runs for the second wicket. Chanderpaul departed when he tried to launch Mitchell Johnson but didn’t quite time his shot and David Hussey, running back from mid-on, took a superbly judged catch.

The dismissal triggered a collapse and Smith then got in on the act. Narsingh Deonarine failed to read the leggie and holed out for a duck, caught by Michael Hussey at deep midwicket and Kieron Pollard (13) tried to work the ball legside but was beaten by the turn and Haddin completed a neat stumping. In the next ball, local lad Darren Sammy gave a simple return catch back to Smith.