Pakistan stumped out of World T20
West Indies crush 2009 champions by 84 runs to reach semis.
Holders West Indies sailed into the semis after Dwayne Bravo’s power-hitting and Samuel Badree’s lethal spin bowling fashioned their comprehensive 84-run victory over Pakistan. PHOTO: REUTERS
DHAKA:
Defending champions West Indies charged into the World Twenty20 semi-finals with a spectacular 84-run win over Pakistan in a key Super-10 match in Dhaka on Tuesday.
The West Indies recovered from a top-order meltdown to post 166 for six after electing to take first strike, before three wickets each by spin twins Samuel Badree and Sunil Narine skittled Pakistan for 82 in 17.5 overs.
The West Indies, who finished second behind unbeaten India in Group 2, will clash with Group 1 winners Sri Lanka in the first semi-final in Dhaka on Thursday. India, who won all their four league matches, meet South Africa at the same venue on Friday.
The final will take place in Dhaka on Sunday.
It was the first time Pakistan, finalists in the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007 and champions in 2009, failed to reach the knock-out rounds in the five editions of the tournament.
The West Indies slumped to 81 for five before skipper Darren Sammy and Dwayne Bravo led a dramatic rescue act by adding 71 for the sixth wicket off just 32 balls.
Bravo smashed four sixes and two fours in a 26-ball 46, while Sammy remained unbeaten on 42 off 20 balls that contained five fours and two sixes.
The West Indies plundered 71 runs in the last four overs, taking 21 runs in the 18th bowled by seamer Umar Gul and 24 in the 19th by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.
Pakistan never recovered after Ahmed Shehzad, who scored a century in the previous match against Bangladesh, was leg-before to Krishmar Santokie off the first ball of the innings.
Badree removed Kamran Akmal in the second over, Umar Akmal in the fourth and Shoaib Malik in the sixth to leave Pakistan tottering at 13 for four.
Skipper Mohammad Hafeez (19) and Sohaib Maqsood (18) fell in successive overs to make it 42 for six, before Narine removed Shahid Afridi and Sohail Tanvir in four balls to hasten the end.
“I didn’t expect it to be so easy as we have a bowling line-up that can defend any total but Pakistan had our batting in a bit of a bother earlier,” said Bravo, with a gleeful face after victory.
West Indies openers fail to make impression
Earlier, the West Indies lost both openers by the fourth over, with Chris Gayle stumped off Hafeez for five and Dwayne Smith caught behind off Tanvir for eight.
Lendl Simmons and Marlon Samuel added 39 for the third wicket when both batsmen fell in the 11th over to reduce the West Indies to 67 for four.
Lendl was run out for a 29-ball 31 while attempting a cheeky single, while Samuels was bowled by Shahid Afridi for 20 after striking a six off the previous delivery.
In the death, Sammy and Bravo stepped in to play what turned out to be match-winning knocks.
Earlier, Australia beat Bangladesh in their last group match but the match didn’t drive much attention as both teams were already knocked out of the tournament.
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[embed width="620"]https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1lb8kn_west-indies-crashed-pakistan-in-t20_sport[\embed]
Published in The Express Tribune, April 2nd, 2014.
Defending champions West Indies charged into the World Twenty20 semi-finals with a spectacular 84-run win over Pakistan in a key Super-10 match in Dhaka on Tuesday.
The West Indies recovered from a top-order meltdown to post 166 for six after electing to take first strike, before three wickets each by spin twins Samuel Badree and Sunil Narine skittled Pakistan for 82 in 17.5 overs.
The West Indies, who finished second behind unbeaten India in Group 2, will clash with Group 1 winners Sri Lanka in the first semi-final in Dhaka on Thursday. India, who won all their four league matches, meet South Africa at the same venue on Friday.
The final will take place in Dhaka on Sunday.
It was the first time Pakistan, finalists in the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007 and champions in 2009, failed to reach the knock-out rounds in the five editions of the tournament.
The West Indies slumped to 81 for five before skipper Darren Sammy and Dwayne Bravo led a dramatic rescue act by adding 71 for the sixth wicket off just 32 balls.
Bravo smashed four sixes and two fours in a 26-ball 46, while Sammy remained unbeaten on 42 off 20 balls that contained five fours and two sixes.
The West Indies plundered 71 runs in the last four overs, taking 21 runs in the 18th bowled by seamer Umar Gul and 24 in the 19th by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.
Pakistan never recovered after Ahmed Shehzad, who scored a century in the previous match against Bangladesh, was leg-before to Krishmar Santokie off the first ball of the innings.
Badree removed Kamran Akmal in the second over, Umar Akmal in the fourth and Shoaib Malik in the sixth to leave Pakistan tottering at 13 for four.
Skipper Mohammad Hafeez (19) and Sohaib Maqsood (18) fell in successive overs to make it 42 for six, before Narine removed Shahid Afridi and Sohail Tanvir in four balls to hasten the end.
“I didn’t expect it to be so easy as we have a bowling line-up that can defend any total but Pakistan had our batting in a bit of a bother earlier,” said Bravo, with a gleeful face after victory.
West Indies openers fail to make impression
Earlier, the West Indies lost both openers by the fourth over, with Chris Gayle stumped off Hafeez for five and Dwayne Smith caught behind off Tanvir for eight.
Lendl Simmons and Marlon Samuel added 39 for the third wicket when both batsmen fell in the 11th over to reduce the West Indies to 67 for four.
Lendl was run out for a 29-ball 31 while attempting a cheeky single, while Samuels was bowled by Shahid Afridi for 20 after striking a six off the previous delivery.
In the death, Sammy and Bravo stepped in to play what turned out to be match-winning knocks.
Earlier, Australia beat Bangladesh in their last group match but the match didn’t drive much attention as both teams were already knocked out of the tournament.
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[embed width="620"]https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1lb8kn_west-indies-crashed-pakistan-in-t20_sport[\embed]
Published in The Express Tribune, April 2nd, 2014.