David Warner and Josh Hazlewood star for Australia as Dwayne Bravo bids farewell to West Indies and Chris Gayle plays possibly his final international, too; Australia's win meant South Africa needed to thrash England to knock out Aaron Finch's side but Proteas only triumphed by 10 runs
Saturday 6 November 2021 18:54, UK
Australia reached the T20 World Cup semi-finals with an eight-wicket victory over defending champions West Indies, who said goodbye to Dwayne Bravo and perhaps Chris Gayle, too.
Australia topped West Indies' 157-7 with 22 balls to spare in Abu Dhabi, with David Warner (89no off 56) and Mitchell Marsh (53 off 32) putting on 124 for the second wicket in 75 deliveries.
Australia's victory meant South Africa needed to defeat England by a large margin later in the day to overhaul Aaron Finch's side on net run-rate but the Proteas missed out after only recording a narrow 10-run win.
South Africa needed to limit already-qualified England to 131 or fewer after posting 189-2 in Sharjah but England carded 179-8 as they finished top of Group 1 ahead of second-placed Australia and third-placed South Africa.
Australia will now face the winners of Group 2 - most likely Pakistan - in the second semi-final in Dubai on Thursday, 24 hours after England meet the runners-up in Group 2 in Abu Dhabi.
For eliminated West Indies, their game against Australia marked the end of an era, with all-rounder Bravo bowing out from international cricket and batter Gayle possibly playing his final game as well, with the way he saluted the crowd after being dismissed for 15 indicating as much.
Gayle, 42, drummed two sixes during his nine-ball stay at the crease, one off Josh Hazlewood and another off Pat Cummins (1-15), before he dragged the latter onto his stumps in the third over at Sheikh Zayed Stadium.
Gayle then came on for a bowl late in the Australia chase and had Marsh caught at mid-off by Jason Holder, before Warner clipped the winning runs off Roston Chase in the 17th over.
Bravo, meanwhile, made 10 from 12 deliveries before he became Hazlewood's fourth and final victim - Bravo soaking up the occasion as he strolled off and then embracing Gayle.
West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard (44 off 31 balls) top-sored for his side after being dropped on eight by Adam Zampa off the spinner's own bowling, while Andre Russell (18no off 7) smashed the final two balls of the innings, bowled by Mitchell Starc, for six, with one going 111 metres.
Hazlewood rebounded from being tonked for 20 in the second over - Evin Lewis (29 off 26) nailing three fours in a row before Gayle hauled away a six - to dismiss Nicholas Pooran (4) and Roston Chase (0) in the third and then Shimron Hetmyer (27 off 28) in the 13th.
Spinner Zampa (1-20), save for that drop of Pollard, enjoyed another successful outing with the ball, becoming the leading wicket-taker in the Super 12 stage as he took his number of scalps to 11 when Steve Smith claimed a fine catch at long-on after Lewis skied a googly down the ground.
Zampa had picked up the tournament's best figures of 5-19 against Bangladesh on Thursday before sitting back and watching his side complete an eight-wicket drubbing
The 29-year-old witnessed another comprehensive chase on Saturday, with Australia losing only captain Aaron Finch (9) - bowled by Akeal Hosein - and then Marsh late on, through perhaps Gayle's final act in a West Indies shirt.
Bravo is definitely done, though, with the seamer's final spell of bowling seeming him bag figures of 0-36 from four overs.
West Indies finished fifth in Group 1 and must now qualify for the Super 12 stage at next year's T20 World Cup in Australia.
The equation for New Zealand is simple on Sunday - beat Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi (9.30am, Sky Sports Cricket) and they are into the T20 World Cup semi-finals but lose and they are out.
Victory for the Black Caps in Abu Dhabi would take them to eight points from five games, ensure they progress from Group 2 alongside Pakistan, and eliminate both Afghanistan and India. However, a New Zealand defeat would see Afghanistan leapfrog them into second place on net run-rate.
If that happens, Afghanistan's focus will turn to Monday's match between India and Namibia, as Virat Kohli's side - who looked all but out of the tournament after crushing defeats to Pakistan and New Zealand in their first two matches - will still be able to move up into second place if they beat Namibia by a big enough margin to better Afghanistan's net run-rate.
Sunday's second match sees already-qualified Pakistan take on bottom side Scotland in Sharjah (1.30pm, Sky Sports Cricket). If New Zealand are victorious against Afghanistan, Pakistan will need to win to secure to spot in the group. Scotland, meanwhile, are looking to avoid a fifth straight loss.
The T20 World Cup continues live on Sky Sports Cricket from 9.30am on Sunday. Watch New Zealand vs Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi followed by Pakistan vs Scotland in Sharjah.
