 | « Back to article | Print this article |
Veteran opener David Warner produced a feisty unbeaten 89 as Australia registered an emphatic eight-wicket win against West Indies to boost their semi-final hopes, at the T20 World Cup, in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
The left-hander was at his vintage best as he smashed four sixes and nine fours to anchor the 158-run chase in a match, which was a swansong game for Dwyane Bravo and probably also for Chris Gayle.
Warner got good support from Mitchell Marsh, who slammed a 32-ball 53 before he fell to Gayle, while looking to hit the winning runs.
The duo stitched a match-winning 124-run partnership in 75 balls to help Australia win the game with 22 balls to spare.
Australia have to wait for the result of South Africa and England match. South Africa need to beat England by a big margin to crush the hopes of Aaron Finch's men, who have a net run rate of 1.216 with four wins from five matches.
Warner, who struggled to get going in the recently-concluded IPL and lost his place in the Sunrisers Hyderabad team, upped the ante in the third over, smashing Jason Holder two consecutive boundaries before finishing the over with a six.
Skipper Finch (9) got out in the next over after inside edging Akeal Hosein on to his stumps but Warner kept the boundaries.
Warner raced to his 20th T20 International half-century off 29 balls, as Australia were never in a spot of bother and made it a run-a-ball equation at the halfway mark when they raced to 98/1 in 10 overs, needing 60 off 60 balls.
There was his trademark pull, sweep and switch hits as he toyed with the Windies attack.
Marsh also followed suit with an equally aggressive half-century -- his fifth in T20Is as Australia made it a walk in the park.
Earlier, skipper Kieron Pollard struck a combative 31-ball 44 to lead West Indies to a fighting 157/7 in their 20 overs.
Opting to field in a must-win match, Australia were taken to the cleaners by Windies opener Evin Lewis, who smashed Josh Hazlewood for a hat-trick of fours en route to his 26-ball 29.
'Universe Boss' Gayle made a nine-ball 15 in what seemed his last International appearance as he enjoyed every bit of the moment and also signed off with a wicket of Marsh.
He also celebrated jumping on to Marsh while the Aussie was on his way back to the dugout.
On a batting-friendly wicket that aided true pace and bounce, the struggling defending champions finally got their rhythm back.
After West Indies had started off aggressively, Australia got back with three wickets for five runs before Pollard provided the late boost with a few boundaries at the need.
Pollard slammed one six an four fours while Shimron Hetmyer (27) also made useful contributions. Finally it was Andre Russell who finished it off with two sixes (18 not out from seven balls) to prop the total as the Windies put on 58 runs in the final five overs.
For the Aussies, Hazlewood was brilliant, returning with 4/39 as he bounced back brilliantly after being hit for 20 in his first over.
The loss also meant that the two-time world champions West Indies have missed out on a direct qualification to Super 12 for the T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia.
It was an emotional match for Bravo whose final innings in International cricket was over when he departed after getting caught at long-on.
Bravo was hugged by Pollard on his way out as Russell and others too gave him a standing ovation, while Gayle also gave him an emotional hug in the dugout.
Gayle also looks to have played his final match for West Indies.
It's not official yet, but the Windies great was seen waving at the camera and raised his bat after crossing the rope as he was also seen distributing his cricketing gears to the fans in the stands.