David Warner struck a 56-ball 89 after pacer Josh Hazlewood’s four-wicket blitz to help Australia beat the West Indies by eight wickets in Abu Dhabi Saturday and put themselves in a commanding position to make the Twenty20 World Cup semi-finals.
Chasing 158 for victory, Australia rode home on Warner’s unbeaten knock, which included nine boundaries and four sixes, and Mitchell Marsh’s 53 to cruise home with 22 balls to spare.
Earlier, Australia pacer Pat Cummins struck a vital early blow by forcing Chris Gayle to chop one onto his stumps in the third over after the 42-year-old Jamaican had issued an early warning of his prowess with two massive sixes.
Gayle walked off the pitch with his bat raised and a smile on his face prompting fans to speculate online over whether this may have been his final innings.
But the West Indies were not in a celebratory mood as Hazlewood took two wickets in three balls.
Nicholas Pooran departed offering a simple catch to Marsh before Roston Chase had his stumps shattered to leave the outgoing champions in trouble at 35-3 inside four overs.
Leg-spinner Adam Zampa then picked up his 11th wicket of the Super 12 stage by removing Evin Lewis for 29 as the West Indies’ slide continued, but a steady effort by skipper Kieron Pollard took them to a respectable 157-7.
Hazlewood also dismissed Shimron Hetmyer and the retiring Dwayne Bravo to finish with a figure of 4-39.
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