West Indies earned their second consecutive victory brightening their chance to reach the semifinals of the of the ICC World Twenty20 beating giant Australia by six wickets in a Group-B match at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Mirpur on Friday.
Replying to Australia’s 178 runs, West Indies, riding on a captain’s knock by Darren Sammy, reached the target making 179 runs for 4 in 19.4 overs.
With 12 runs needed in the last over, Darren Sammy sealed the fate of the match with two balls to spare hitting two consecutive sixes in the 3rd and 4th balls of the over by James Faulkner.
Darren Sammy quick-fired an unbeaten 34 runs off just 13 balls featuring two fours and three sixes and was adjudged man of the match.
After the departure of opener Dwayne Smith for 50 in just 5 overs, celebrated opening batsman Chris Gayle partnering with Lendl Simmons contributed 51 runs in 6.5 overs in the 2nd wicket stand before Gayle was caught by Glenn Maxwell off a James Muirhead delivery, leaving team total to 101 for 2 in 12.1 overs.
Chris Gayle hammered 53 runs off 35 balls with six fours and two sixes while opener D Smith scored 17 off 19 balls hitting four fours.
In the 5th wicket stand, Darren Sammy pairing with Dwayne Bravo made 49 runs in 3.1 overs to guide the team toward victory making 179 for 4 in 19.4 overs.
Dwayne Bravo quick-fired not out 27 runs off 12 balls with two fours and two sixes while Lendl Simmons made 26 runs off 24 balls with three fours before he was caught by Glenn Maxwell off a Doug Bollinger delivery.
Mitchell Starc claimed two wickets for 50 runs in his four overs spell while James Muirhead and Doug Bollinger took one wicket each conceding 21 and 34 runs respectively.
Earlier, batting first after winning the toss, Australia scored 178 runs for 8 in 20 overs with two down Glenn Maxwell scoring the team’s highest 45 runs off 22 balls featuring 5 boundaries and 3 over boundaries before he was caught by Dwayne Bravo off a Marlon Samuels delivery at 100 for 5 in 11.3 overs.
In the 6th wicket stand, Brad Hodge pairing with James Faulkner contributed 52 runs in 6.2 overs before Hodge was clean bowled by Sunil Narine, to carry the team total to 152 for 6 in 17.5 overs. Brad Hodge scored 35 runs off 26 balls with two fours and a six.
Top order David Warner made 20 runs off 14 balls with four fours before he was clean bowled by Samuel Badree while opener Aaron Finch added 16 runs off 11 balls with two fours and a six before being bowled by Marlon Samuels.
Lower order Brad Haddin scored not out 15 runs off 7 balls with a four and a six.
James Faulkner made 13 runs off 17 balls with a four before caught by Dwayne Bravo off Krishmar Santokie bowling while skipper George Bailey made run-a-ball 12 with a six and was caught by Darren Sammy off a Marlon Samuels delivery.
Sunil Narine, Marlon Samuels and Samuel Badree claimed two wickets each for 19, 20 and 37 runs respectively while Krishmar Santokie and Dwayne Bravo took one wicket apiece for 30 and 39 runs respectively.
Source: UNBConnect