KANDY – Gangnam dancing gave way to glum faces when the West Indies went down to Sri Lanka in their second Super Eights match of the ICC World Twenty20 at the Pallekele International Stadium last night.
The eccentric, new world dance that Chris Gayle is popularizing to celebrate a wicket was absent and replaced by the cacophony of 35 000 Sri Lankans who created their own moves to usher in their team’s nine-wicket triumph.
Sri Lanka raced to 130 for one in 15.2 overs after the West Indies made a modest 129 for five in 20 overs on winning the toss and batting. The win has virtually assured the home team of a semi-final berth.
Mathematically, the defeat last night still leaves the two available spots in this zone up for grabs, but realistically, Sri Lanka’s net run rate with one match left should be enough to send them back to Colombo next week for the Final Four.
Their victory also meant that the West Indies are still to win a Twenty20 encounter against Sri Lanka after four matches and it was also the hosts’ biggest margin of wins in this form of the game.
West Indies’ tactics were baffling. The pitches over the last two rounds have been slow and favouring spinners, yet leg-spinner Samuel Badree, who was so economical on Thursday against England, was left out and back came pacer Fidel Edwards.
Just as Australia caned India the previous night, Sri Lanka devastated the West Indies attack.
But the problems started for the West Indies with their batting.
Johnson Charles didn’t have a clue which way Ajantha Mendis was spinning the ball and his only form of defence was to attack. The result – he was left stranded down the pitch and stumped for 12.
Gayle chased a wide delivery from pacer Nuwan Kulasekara and was caught behind cheaply to leave the regional side on 16 for two.
West Indies were in a deep hole, even though the innings got revived by Marlon Samuels and Dwayne Bravo, the pair adding 65 for the third wicket.
Samuels was graceful, stroking an even half-century, while Bravo, who always looks accomplished when he plays within his limitations, hit 41. They both counted four fours and two sixes.
However, the struggling Kieron Pollard endured a painstaking over from Mendis to eventually succumb when he was bowled for one, leaving Andre Russell (19 not out) with too much to do.
Overall, 58 maiden deliveries summed up how pressured the innings was for the West Indies.
Sri Lanka lost an early wicket in the form of Tillakaratne Dilshan, but it didn’t matter. Poor bowling and sloppy fielding saw captain Mahela Jayawardene (65 not out) and Kumar Sangakarra (35 not out) propelling their team to victory.
Sangakarra brought up his 1 000th run in this form of the game to join Dilshan and his skipper in that elite club.
“We were outplayed by people who knew how to exploit the conditions,” was West Indies captain Darren Sammy’s response.
“We thought by playing Fidel [Edwards] the extra pacer would’ve bothered the Sri Lankans, but the pitch didn’t help and it was one of those things we got wrong.
“We know we have to come and beat New Zealand and the guys will come, play hard and do that,” he stated.
The result means that the West Indies must beat New Zealand tomorrow if they want to qualify for the semi-finals and hope that Sri Lanka hold off England.
If England and the West Indies both win their matches, net run-rate would have to decide who goes through and it would also come into play if they both lose.
