By Brian Thomas
Dasun Shanaka called tails , lost the toss and was asked to take first lease of the Abu Dhabi pitch.
With one change in the bowling cordon , Binura Fernando replacing Lahiru Kumara, the unfancied Sri Lamkans are slowly but surely getting back their past glory.
Kushal Perera and his bad form with the bat continues, sadly on a good batting track he had a soft dismisal caught and bowled by Andrew Russel for 29.
Charith Asalanka and Pathum Nisanka , showed their class , with a classy 91 run partnership, with Asalanka making a match winning 68 and Pathum Nisanka proving his raw talent with 51. Skipper Dasun Shanaka batting promoting himself up the order , joined the party and made an unbeaten 21 , to take Sri Lanka to their highest team total of 189 for 3 wickets in the 2021 World Cup, and thus batted the former champions out of the contest.
West Indies Bowling and fielding looked far below par. Charith Asalanka and Pathum Nisanka toyed with their bowling , and rotated the strike at will.
Chasing 190 , to keep their hopes live to gain a slot in the Semi Finals , the West indies could muster only 169 for 8 Wickets.
Nicholas Pooran who was dropped by Mahesh Theekshana twice made 46. Shimron Hetmyer is the future of West Indies Cricket. He was outstanding with an unbeaten 81.
The rest of the batters were undone by some disciplined bowling by Sri Lanka. Binura Fernando stuck gold with 2 gun barrel deliveries to see the back of Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis with the score on 10. Gayle was out for 1 when he bottom edged a delivery to the safe hands of Hasaranga , whilst Evin Lewis played on to disturb his timber after dispatching, Binura Fernano for two consecutive boundrys.
Hadaranga was brilliant with his leg spin . He castled Pollard and Russel for his 2 for 19 , and proved his worth in Gold.
Emphatic win by Sri Lanka by 20 runs , and they bid good bye to this World Cup , as the most talented team , with their heads held high.
Well Played both teams.
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