Abu Dhabi, Nov 3: Defending champions West Indies will be desperate to address their batting woes and keep their slim semi-final hopes alive when they take on an inexperienced Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup here on Thursday.
After two back-to-back defeats, West Indies managed to revive their campaign with a scrappy three-run win over Bangladesh. The two-time champions’ chances of reaching the semi-finals look very slim but they aren’t out of the race just yet.
They not only need to win their last two fixtures to stay in the mix for the semis but also require dominant victories to improve their net run rate, which is the worst in the group.
The wins will not only improve West Indies’ chances, but will also hurt fellow contenders Australia’s chances of progressing. And if South Africa lose against England, who are already through, then all three sides could finish on six points which will bring the net run rate into the equation.
On the other hand, Sri Lanka, who had won the title in 2014, slumped to their third consecutive defeat after a dominant victory in their campaign opener. With just one match to go in their Super 12 campaign, Sri Lanka can finish on a maximum of four points which is not enough to progress.
West Indies’ bowlers sealed the win against Bangladesh with all-rounders Dwayne Bravo, Jason Holder and Andre Russell bowling brilliantly at the death. The bowling unit has shown they are capable of defending decent totals.
The West Indies were guilty of being sloppy in the field against Bangladesh, missing several run-out opportunities and dropping catches and will look to improve on that front.
The side, known for its flamboyant style of play, has failed miserably with the bat. They will need to be better prepared to counter the wily Sri Lankan spin duo of Wanindu Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana, who have bamboozled the opposition batters.
For Sri Lanka, the pace trio of Chamika Karunaratne, Dushyant Chameera and Lahiru Kumara will look to bowl in the right areas against a wobbly West Indies. Opener Kusal Perera can be dangerous while Pathum Nissanka showed he can tonk the ball over the park. Playing their last game of the tournament, Sri Lanka will hope to conclude the campaign with a win. (PTI)
