By BV Swagath
Sri Lanka have made it to the Finals of the ICC World T20 2014 after D/L Method ruled them as winners by 27 runs in the rain-affected Semi Final against West Indies. The Lankans will face the winner of tomorrow’s Semi Final between India and South Africa on the 6th of this month.
The match was nicely poised with West Indies at 80 for 4 in 13.5 overs chasing 161. Marlon Samuels was joined by Darren Sammy when rain arrived from nowhere and turned out to be a massive hailstorm. West Indies were on the backfoot after losing openers Chris Gayle and Dwayne Smith to slower ones from Lasith Malinga in the 5th over.
Leggie Seekkuge Prasanna came up with a first ball wicket of Lendl Simmons while just before the rain, Kulasekara had the dangerous Dwayne Bravo caught pulling a slower one. Bravo scored 30 from 19 balls with 3 fours and a six.
Earlier, Sri Lanka got off to a flier before losing Kusal Perera (26 from 12 balls) in the 4th over. There was a double blow after that with Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara falling in the space of two overs. Mahela Jayawardene was run out for a duck without facing a single ball while Sangakkara was caught and bowled by Samuel Badree for 1.
The West Indies took their fourth wicket when a well set Tillakaratne Dilshan got run out after scoring 39 from 32 balls. Sri Lanka got towards a healthy total with Lahiru Thirimanne contributing 44 from 35 balls. The innings got off to a superb finish thanks to Angelo Mathews’ 40 from 23 balls.
Toss and Teams: Sri Lanka have won the toss and elected to bat first against an unchanged West Indies in the 1st Semi Final of the ICC World T20 2014 at Dhaka. The Lankans are being led by Lasith Malinga with their original captain Dinesh Chandimal dropping himself.
Sri Lanka have made one change with Seekkuge Prasanna coming in for Thisara Perera.
West Indies: Dwayne Smith, Chris Gayle, Lendl Simmons, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Bravo, Darren Sammy (C), Denesh Ramdin (WK), Andre Russell, Samuel Badree, Sunil Narine, Krishmar Santokie
Sri Lanka: Kusal Perera, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara (WK), Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Seekkuge Prasanna, Nuwan Kulasekara, Sachithra Senanayake, Rangana Herath, Lasith Malinga (C)
