West Indies smash Pakistan to make World T20 semis

Mirpur (Bangladesh), April 1 (IANS/CMC) Defending champions West Indies crushed Pakistan by 84 runs in their final preliminary game to reach the semi-finals of the World Twenty20 Championship here Tuesday.

West Indies will now face Sri Lanka in the first semi-final Thursday.

Opting to bat first in the must-win encounter at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium, West Indies recovered from a sluggish start to post a challenging 166 for six off their 20 overs.

The Caribbean side then produced an imperious bowling display to bundle Pakistan out for 82 off 17.5 overs, to record their biggest ever win in T20 Internationals, reports CMC.

Leg-spinner Samuel Badree was magical with the new ball, claiming three for ten from his four overs while the World’s No. 1 T20 bowler, off-spinner Sunil Narine, picked up three for 16 from his quota. Pacers Krismar Santokie and Andre Russel also picked up two wickets each.

Pakistan skipper Mohammad Hafeez was the top scorer with 19 while Shoaib Maqsood and Shahid Afridi scored identical 18.

West Indies had earlier recovered from a slow start to plunder 82 runs from the last five overs, with Dwayne Bravo smashing a top score of 46 from 26 deliveries and captain Darren Sammy, cracking an unbeaten 42 from just 20 balls.

Their frenetic sixth wicket stand of 71 required just 34 deliveries, and proved to be the catalyst of the West Indies innings after another sluggish performance from the top order batsmen.

Pakistani spinner Saeed Ajmal, who so far was economical in the tournament, was spanked for 41 runs from his four overs pace spearhead Umar Gul gave away 29 runs from his two overs. Ajmal had given 17 runs from his three overs but his figures were spoiled in the penultimate over when Bravo and Sammy hit him for 24 runs that had three sixes and a four.

Lendl Simmons chipped in with 31 from 29 balls while Marlon Samuels struggled with 20 from 18 balls, but big-hitting opener Chris Gayle (5) and his partner Dwayne Smith (8) were both dismissed cheaply.

–IANS/CMC

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