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Mathews, Dilshan see Sri Lanka into World T20 final
by AFP


Ground:Kennington Oval, Kennington
Scorecard:Sri Lanka v West Indies
Player:TM Dilshan, AD Mathews
Event:ICC World Twenty20 2009

DateLine: 20th June 2009

 

Angelo Mathews's astonishing first over treble strike and Tillekaratne Dilshan's 96 not out helped see Sri Lanka into the World Twenty20 final with a 57-run win over the West Indies at the Oval Friday.

 

Sri Lanka, the only unbeaten side still in the tournament, will face Pakistan - a team they defeated by 19 runs in the Super Eights stage - in Sunday's final at Lord's.

 

West Indies, chasing 159 to win, were rocked by a sensational first over of the innings from Mathews which saw the unheralded seamer take three wickets for no runs in five balls.

 

And that was all before spin stars Ajantha Mendis (two wickets for nine runs) and Muttiah Muralitharan (three for 29) had entered the fray.

 

The West Indies were chasing the game and they finished on 101 all out despite captain Chris Gayle carrying his bat for 63 not out.

 

Mathews took three for 16 in his four overs.

 

Earlier, Dilshan's knock was the centrepiece of Sri Lanka's 158 for five.

 

His 57-ball innings, featuring two sixes and 12 fours, was the equal third-best in Twenty20 international history.

 

Only fellow opener Sanath Jayasuriya (24) and Mathews (12 not out) also made it into double figures.

 

Mathews struck second ball when Xavier Marshall, brought in as an opener after Andre Fletcher had made three straight ducks, went for nought when he inside edged onto his stumps.

 

Lendl Simmons then saw the ball come off his thigh pad as, two balls later, he also fell for nought and Dwayne Bravo, off the last ball of the over, astonishingly also played on to be out for a duck.

 

It was only because Gayle, who'd won the toss and chosen to field, had got a single off the first ball that his side had a run at one for three.

 

Gayle tried to counter-attack by launching Isuru Udana for six over long-on.

 

But when the experienced Shivnarine Chanderpaul was lbw to Mendis for just seven, the West Indies were 43 for four.

 

Gayle though completed a 39-ball fifty with a six and eight fours

 

Dilshan got Sri Lanka off to a flyer, sweeping a Jerome Taylor full toss for six and handing out similar treatment to off-spinner Gayle.

 

But a first-wicket stand of 73 was ended when Jayasuriya, who had been unusually subdued, flicked Bravo straight to Taylor at short fine leg.

 

It was the start of a collapse that saw three wickets lost for four runs in eight balls.

 

Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara fell for a duck when Kieron Pollard leapt at point to hold a well-struck cut shot off medium-pacer Bravo.

 

Mahela Jayawardene had made only two before he too was caught at short fine leg, by Chanderpaul, off Pollard.

 

Mathews added late impetus by striking Gayle for a six and a four off successive balls in the final over.

 

Dilshan needed to hit a six off the last ball to become only the second player, after Gayle, to score a Twenty20 international hundred but was unable to clear the ropes.

(Article: Copyright © 2009 AFP)

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