While packing their bags for the T20 World Cup, the West Indies seem to have secured their reputation in the baggage but forgotten their batting form. The fallout of which is the defending champions' unceremonious exit in Abu Dhabi on Thursday night. Clinging on to a fraying thread of hope of making it to the semifinals, Kieron Pollard and his men played out a now familiar script of a batting meltdown.
In a battle between the two sides which played the final in 2012, out-of-contention Sri Lanka, rubbed salt into the wounds of a hurting Windies, with a 20-run win, thus ending their campaign on a positive note.
Chasing Sri Lanka's highly competitive 189/3, the holders mustered 169/8.
West Indies needed to chase the target in an improbable seven overs for the upward climb of their negative net run rate. But the downfall started at the top with Chris Gayle putting up another miserable show. Gayle gifted his wicket to Binura Fernando (2/24), who replaced Lahiru Kumara in the line-up, in the second over. The Jamaican toe-ended the ball to hand Wanindu Hasaranga for a sitter at mid-off. Evin Lewis followed him, losing his stumps to Fernando four balls later.
Reduced to 47 for 3 in the powerplay, West Indies needed a miracle to pull off the great heist. The only hope was offered by Nicholas Pooran (46; 34b; 6x4; 1x6) and Shimron Hetmyer (81 n.o; 54b; 8x4; 4x6), but their effort faded in the backdrop of the climbing asking rate and wickets tumbling at one end. Pacer Chamika Karunaratne (2/43) and leggie Hasaranga (2/19) were the other prime wicket-takers for the winners.
Earlier, with dew playing a big part at the venue, Pollard, who won his maiden toss of the competition, invited the Sri Lankans to bat. As the match unfolded, the Windies probably realised, the toss was the only bright spark for them on the Diwali night.
A young Pathum Nissanka (51; 41b; 5x4) and Kushal Perera (29) got the Lankans off to a good start with their 42-run opening stand. Introduced into the attack in the sixth over, Andre Russell struck off the second ball when Perera chipped the ball back to Russell. But that did not dent the Lankan charge as Charith Asalanka (68; 41b; 8x4; 1x6) joined hands with Nissanka to take the fight to the West Indies camp.
Skipper Dasun Shanaka came to the party late with his unbeaten 14-ball-25 which pushed the Lankan total. Also, it saw the unravelling of the otherwise tight Windies bowling in the death overs as they conceded 57 runs in the last five overs. West Indies play their last match against Australia on Saturday.
