Shimron Hetmyer’s (81* off 54) heroics failed to keep the West Indies in the race for semi-final. They were knocked out after a 20-run defeat against Sri Lanka in a Group 1 clash in Abu Dhabi.
For the first time in 11 years, West Indies failed to qualify for the tournament's semi-final.
West Indies had won the 2012 edition after defeating Sri Lanka in the final. They lost the 2014 semi-final to Sri Lanka before winning the title again in 2016. Yet again, their old nemesis ended their qualification chances.
Despite the decision of fielding backfiring Afghanistan last night in the same venue, West Indies elected to bowl on a good wicket and gave away 189.
The Sri Lankan bowlers complemented their batters’ efforts. They were clearly better prepared with match-ups and won key moments. The much-famed West Indies lower middle order of Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard, Jason Holder and Dwayne Bravo managed just 12 between them.
While Russell once again fell to short-ball, Pollard fell to his weakness against googly.
Not for the first time in the tournament, Wanindu Hasaranga starred with the ball for Sri Lanka. Coming into bowl after 10 overs, he finished with 4-0-19-2.
Binura Fernando and Chamika Karunaratne also chipped in with two wickets each.
West Indies slammed 52 in the Powerplay but lost three wickets. They lost Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis in the second over, to Fernando’s left-arm pace.
West Indies also struggled to figure out Maheesh Theekshana (4-0-21-0), even though the latter dropped two catches in the first six overs.
Apart from Nicholas Pooran’s 34-ball 46, the other highlight of the West Indian Powerplay was Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s catch to dismiss Roston Chase. Rajapaksa dived full stretch to his left to counter the ball’s velocity and pulled off a blinder at mid wicket.
Hetmyer initially struggled with the scoring rate, which led to the mounting asking rate climbing. He got 30 in 33 balls with Pooran for the fourth wicket before the latter perished trying to accelerate.
Later, Hetmyer found no support as the West Indian dream ended with their third defeat in the tournament.
Asalanka-Nissanka show for Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka continued their exciting brand of batting after being asked to bat first. They took a leaf out of India’s batting against Afghanistan at the same venue and registered 189/2 – the joint third-highest total in the tournament. And they did so without requiring their power-hitter Rajapaksa to bat.
The openers powered them to 48 in the Powerplay for the loss of Kusal Perera’s wicket. Perera laid the foundation with a 21-ball 29 before falling to Russell’s athleticism off his own bowling in the sixth over.
West Indies had to wait for over 10 overs to celebrate their next wicket. In an exhibition of glorious strokeplay, Pathum Nissanka (51 off 41) and Charith Asalanka (68 off 41) added a 91-run stand from 61 balls.
Nissanka registered his third fifty of the tournament, while Asalanka got his second. They were helped by West Indies’ erring lines and a sloppy fielding efforts.
Russell was the pick of the West Indies bowlers, with 4-0-33-2. Bravo took the other wicket, but went for 42 from his four overs.
Their innings received a good finish from captain Dasun Shanaka’s 14-ball 25. Holder, West Indies’ hero from the Bangladesh win, was taken for 16 runs in his final over. He finished with 4-0-37-0.
Ravi Rampaul brought in his experience and darted yorkers in the final over of the innings. The over cost nine (including two leg-byes) and ensured West Indies did not leak more than 190.
While Sri Lanka end the tournament with four points in Group 1, West Indies will play Australia in their final game on Saturday in Abu Dhabi. With England already qualified for the semi-final, Australia remain in the hunt with South Africa.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka 189/3 in 20 overs (Dasun Shanaka 68; Andre Russell 2-32) beat West Indies 169/8 in 20 overs (Shimron Hetmyer 81*; Wanindu Hasaranga 2-19) Player of the Match: Charith Asalanka