Cricket Match

Sri Lanka won by 27 runs

That's it, the match has been officially called off. The rain was really too heavy for us to entertain thoughts of restarting tonight. So, Sri Lanka are through to the finals, and they'll play whoever wins between India and South Africa tomorrow. Despite the rain, one feels Sri Lanka are deserving winners. While the West Indian bowlers kept Sri Lanka in check, their batsmen struggled to impose themselves. We may have been set for another late assault from Sammy, but when the rain came down Sri Lanka were firmly on top. See you tomorrow for more of the same (except, hopefully, for the rain).

Over 13 - WI 76/3 (Bravo 30, Samuels 15)

Samuels, finally, attempts a shot in anger, and connects with a flowing drive to pierce the off-side field and pick up four. But he follows that up with two more dot balls, one of them a full toss, to continue to heap the pressure on Bravo. This isn't exactly fearsome bowling from Sri Lanka, but Samuels' tactics are allowing the required rate to rocket up every over. Bravo steps out to flay the final ball over extra cover for a handsome six, but he can't do this all on his own.

Over 12 - WI 65/3 (Bravo 24, Samuels 10)

Angelo Mathews comes on, and one would think that this would be an opportune moment for West Indies to go on the attack. Not so. Mathews' medium-pace offerings are worked gently around, with Samuels adding a further three dot balls to the scorecard. Samuels is now on 10 from 21 deliveries. What's the point of batting like this? Sri Lanka are bossing this chase.

Over 11 - WI 61/3 (Bravo 21, Samuels 9)

Herath bowled just two sorts of deliveries against New Zealand the other night - the orthodox left-arm spinner and the arm ball. Today, he's varying his bowling much more, but it's not helped him in this over. A carrom ball is dragged down short, and Bravo leaps back to crack a pistol-whip of a pull to the deep midwicket boundary. A quicker ball gives away a wide, and West Indies can be pleased that the scoreboard is starting to tick over a little more quickly now.

Over 10 - WI 53/3 (Bravo 15, Samuels 8)

Bravo takes a little of the pressure off by skipping down at Prasanna and smiting the ball up and over extra cover in his trademark style. With a boundary to start the over, Bravo and Samuels focus on working the ball around, and they run hard to take 9 runs from the over.

Over 9 - WI 44/3 (Bravo 7, Samuels 7)

Herath waddles in for another over, generally aiming the ball full and straight and asking the batsmen to take the risk of playing around their front pads. Bravo and Samuels nudge and push repeatedly, but can barely poke a hole in the field. Just four runs off the over, and required rate rockets over 10.

Over 7 - WI 34/2 (Simmons 4, Samuels 4)

Rangana Herath immediately comes round the wicket, varying the revolutions on his deliveries to keep the batsmen guessing. This remains a good track to bat on, but it's not easy to get bowling as tenacious as this away on any surface. The portly left-arm spinner begins with a tight over.

Over 6 - WI 30/2 (Simmons 3, Samuels 1)

West Indies are letting dot balls be strung together, and slowly digging themselves into a hole from which Sammy and Bravo will subsequently be asked to dig them out of. Kulasekara returns to the attack, with fielding restrictions still in place, but shot after shot goes straight at the field. With just two singles coming off the over, the required run rate is already up to 9.35. And Herath hasn't even bowled yet!

Over 4 - WI 25/0 (Smith 16, Gayle 3)

And now Senanayake is having the same effect on Smith. Gayle hands him the strike early in this over, but the offie comes round the wicket to Smith and varies his lines and pace to perfection. Clearly getting desperate, Smith heaves to leg and he's lucky that the ball evades Thirimanne in the ring. Apart from that one over from Kulasekara, West Indies aren't getting away too quickly here.

Over 3 - WI 22/0 (Smith 14, Gayle 2)

The plunder of Kulasekara has forced Malinga's hand a little, and he's brought himself on to do some slinging with the new ball. It's clearly not quite as easy to hit him out of the park, and indeed the over is bookended by a pair of singles as Gayle is tied down at the crease. He's got 2 off 10 deliveries so far.

Over 2 - WI 20/0 (Smith 13, Gayle 1)

Sri Lanka change things up by bringing on Senanayake's offspin and Gayle, in particular, is muted. The offspinner comes around the wicket to the left-hander, maintaining a strict line to cut down his scoring options. Just 3 runs from the over.

Over 1 - WI 17/0 (Smith 11, Gayle 0)

With Sri Lanka's varied bowling attack, West Indies really have to get their gameplan of who to attack and who to see off right. It appears they're going to go after Kulasekara, with Dwayne Smith hacking across his first two deliveries to pick up a four and a six to wide long on. Kula threatens to fall apart completely when he flings one well down the leg side to give away five wides, but he comes back well against Chris Gayle - whose ankle is well enough for him to bat without much discomfort.

End of innings

Sri Lanka wobbled when they slipped from 41 for 0 to 49 for 3 in this innings, but Thirimanne and Mathews did very well to guide their team to reasonably safe waters. The pitch looks a fantastic one to bat on, but the West Indian bowling figures provide a clue as to what Sri Lanka's defense will revolve around: the seamers took a combined 3 for 83 in seven overs, while the spinners contributed 1 for 75 from 17. Join us in a few minutes for the chase.

Over 20 - SL 160/6 (Prasanna 6)

A real Dernbach of a final over from Andre Russell, who starts well before unraveling completely and disappearing down a swirling charybdis of wides and boundaries. Two wides are followed up by a bludgeoned six over extra cover by Mathews, and then a fierce hook for a boundary to square leg. Bravo helps West Indies end on a mercurial note by charging in from deep midwicket to hold a stunning catch off the final delivery, diving, tumbling through the catch and standing to hurl the ball up in celebration, all in one fluid movement. He makes it look so easy.

Over 19 - SL 145/5 (Mathews 28, Prasanna 5)

Mathews on the charge! Well, the West Indian attack was all over the Sri Lankans in the middle period of the game, but Mathews is ensuring that Sri Lanka's own bowlers will have a target to defend. Despite the fact that third man and fine leg are up, he targets the 'V' with an array of attacking shots off Santokie, lifting a six and a four to long on, and then shimmying down the track to smear four more over extra cover. The 17 runs from the over are very handy indeed.

Over 18 - SL 128/5 (Mathews 13, Prasanna 3)

Prasanna learns early on in this over that defense will get him nowhere - apart from, perhaps, groping hopelessly at fizzing offspinners and looping doosras - so he goes on the attack, slog-sweeping to deep midwicket. Bravo charges round the rope and takes the catch, but his momentum takes him over the boundary. Fortunately for West Indies, he's got the foresight to toss the ball back into play first, saving runs. Narine finishes his spell with 4-0-20-0.

Over 16 - SL 112/4 (Thirimanne 39, Mathews 5)

Mesmerizing stuff from Narine. His knuckle-ball doosra almost does for Mathews twice in a row, but eventually the right-hander manages to pinch a single and get off strike. Thirimanne doesn't seem quite as fazed, but even he's just happy to see Narine off. He's got one more over up his sleeve, while Santokie's got two. Who will take charge at the death?

Over 15 - SL 107/4 (Thirimanne 36, Mathews 3)

There's hesitation in Sri Lanka's running, and another run-out may soon be on. But the pressure that has been built up by the West Indies is released a little by looseness in Russell's bowling. He's not helped by some sloppy fielding at third man, the fielder letting the ball past him for four. But there's no-one to blame but Russell himself as his final delivery is carved up and over third man for six by Thirimanne. He's got pace, but needs direction.

Gayle injury?

Now, after all their good work this could be trouble for West Indies. Gayle, in the covers, bends down to back-up a shy from Samuels, but he's in some pain as he gets up. Was he struck on the knee? Or is this a hamstring? Gayle has only just come back into the side after injury. We'll let you know as soon as we're updated about the problem.

Over 13 - SL 87/3 (Dilshan 35, Thirimanne 23)

A superb comeback over from Narine. The most striking thing is the length he hits - coming forward puts the batsman at risk of dragging his back foot out, should the ball not turn the way he expects, while staying back brings the lbw into play. Dilshan and Thirimanne buckle down to see him off, but Narine is still a challenge and threatens Dilshan's outside edge with a hint of turn and appreciable bounce - as well as plenty of variations.

Over 12 - SL 84/3 (Dilshan 33, Thirimanne 22)

Samuels is kept on for a third over, and perhaps that's one too many. He starts this over much as he had the others, and both Thirimanne and Dilshan appear happy to nudge him around for singles ... until Thirimanne ends the over by bending low to shellack a slog-sweep over the deep midwicket boundary. This stand is now worth 35 runs.

Over 11 - SL 74/3 (Dilshan 31, Thirimanne 14)

Somewhat surprisingly, Chris Gayle comes on for a twirl now. If he's warmed up, he's done it off camera, and his first delivery is an utterly disgusting long-hop that gets the treatment it deserves, Thirmanne hammering a pull out to deep midwicket. To his credit, Gayle does well to ensure that the toll is lessened in the rest of the over, but with the boundary found early the pressure is off and the batsmen canter to 9 runs in the over. That's Gayle's first international over since December 2012.

Over 10 - SL 65/3 (Dilshan 30, Thirimanne 6)

Yet another good over from Samuels. He usually offers great control, and also varies his pace well in the course of six deliveries. A touch of grip off the surface helps him keep the batsmen to 3 runs in the over.

Over 9 - SL 62/3 (Dilshan 29, Thirimanne 4)

Andre Russell is an odd sort of cricketer. He's tall, athletic and young. He bowls with decent pace, and his game is tailored to Twenty20 cricket. Yet he averages 44.62 with the ball and gives away runs at more than 9 to the over. His first delivery gives a hint as to why: with fine leg up, he offers a leg-side half-volley that Dilshan is happy to glance away for four. Russell is fortunate the damage in the over isn't more severe, with a couple of ones and twos following.

Over 8 - SL 54/3 (Dilshan 22, Thirimanne 3)

Marlon Samuels follows up Badree's good work with a tight over of thoroughly modern offspin bowling. There's barely a degree of movement off the track, and the ball is flung down flat, hard and straight. Dilshan and Thirimanne flick a couple of singles off their pads, but the boundary is well protected.

Over 6 - SL 48/2 (Dilshan 19, Sangakkara 1)

With the inroads made, Sammy calls upon Sunil Narine. The offspinner was used much later in the game v Pakistan, but with a few early incisions made, and the out-of-sorts Dilshan at the crease, he's used early today. His first over is a good one, and the batsmen end the Powerplay with an over of quick singles and a hard-run two.

Over 4 SL 41/1 (Dilshan 14, Jayawardene 0)

All this six-hitting has resulted in the ball being changed. Santokie continues and delivers a lovely off-cutter that leaves Dilshan swinging at fresh air. He tries a similar thing next ball, and a single results. Kusal gets brave and lofts it high towards long on, and just-just gets it over the fielder's head for six. A leg-bye follows and then a single to Dilshan before WICKET! Santokie lights up the stumps and Kusal must go for 26.

Over 3 SL 32/0 (Kusal 20, Dilshan 12)

Bang! Dillers smacks a six off Badree first ball, and the spinner responds by ripping one past the bat. There is an appeal for a nick, but only from the keeper. The batsmen then trade singles, before Kusal smashes a six of his own, over long off.

Over 2 SL 17/0 (Kusal 13, Dilshan 4)

Late discovery Krishmar Santokie has the ball from the other end, and the openers are unphased by him. Kusal races two runs to mid-wicket, running hard, and then flashes a fine-leg boundary to his tally. He miss-hits a pull shot next ball, but there's enough on it to go for two. He plays the same shot next ball and gets enough on it for another four, to long on, and this is a very wayward over from the 29-year-old.

Over 1 SL 5/0 (Kusal 1, Dilshan 4)

Samuel Badree's first ball sees Kusal Perera off the mark with a single to mid off. Then there's nearly a catch in the covers, but Chris Gayle can't hang on to the tough chance. Dilshan then crunches a boundary to long off.

The players are out in the middle. with Kusal and Dilshan waiting for the 'funny' count down to end. Sam Badree has the new ball.

The sides are singiing their anthems. There is rain in the air, hopefully it stays away long enough for a game to be completed. If not, Sri Lanka will go to the final as group winners, as there is no reserve day.

Sri Lanka team

K Perera, T Dilshan, M Jayawardene, K Sangakkara, A Mathews, L Thirimanne, S Prasanna, N Kulasekara, S Senanayake, R Herath, S Malinga

Windies team

DR Smith, C Gayle, M Samuels, L Simmons, DJ Bravo, D Ramdin, D Sammy, A Russell, S Narine, S Badree, K Santokie

Greetings!

Hello and welcome to the first World T20 semi-final in Dhaka, where the West Indies and Sri Lanka contest a repeat of the 2012 final, which the Windies won.