Windies destroy Pakistan to make World T20 semis

Defending champions West Indies charged into the World Twenty20semi-finals with a spectacular 84-run win over Pakistan in a key Super-10 match inDhaka on Tuesday.The West Indies recovered from a top-order meltdown to post 166-6 after electing totake first strike, before three wickets each by spin twins Samuel Badree and SunilNarine skittled Pakistan for 82 in 17.5 overs.The West Indies, who finished second behind unbeaten India in group two, will clashwith group one champions Sri Lanka in the first semi-final in Dhaka on Thursday.India, who won all their four league matches, meet South Africa at the same venueon Friday.The final will take place in Dhaka on Sunday.It was the first time Pakistan, finalists in the inaugural World T20 in 2007 andchampions in 2009, failed to reach the knock-out rounds in the five editions of thetournament.The West Indies slumped to 81-5 before skipper Darren Sammy and Dwayne Bravo leda dramatic rescue act by adding 71 for the sixth wicket off just 32 balls. Bravo smashed four sixes and two fours in a 26-ball 46, while Sammy remainedunbeaten on 42 off 20 balls that contained five fours and two sixes.The West Indies plundered 71 runs in the last four overs, taking 21 runs in the 18thbowled by seamer Umar Gul and 24 in the 19th by off-spinner Saeed Ajmal.Pakistan never recovered after Ahmed Shehzad, who scored a century in the previousmatch against Bangladesh, was leg-before to Krishmar Santokie off the first ball ofthe innings.Badree removed Kamran Akmal in the second over, Umar Akmal in the fourth andShoaib Malik in the sixth to leave Pakistan tottering at 13-4.Skipper Mohammad Hafeez (19) and Sohaib Maqsood (18) fell in successive overs tomake it 42-6, before Narine removed Shahid Afridi and Sohail Tanvir in four balls tohasten the end.Earlier, the West Indies lost both openers by the fourth over, with Chris Gaylestumped off Hafeez for five and Dwayne Smith caught behind off Tanvir for eight.Lendl Simmons and Marlon Samuel add 39 for the third wicket when both batsmenfell in the 11th over to reduce the West Indies to 67 for four.Lendl was run out for a 29-ball 31 while attempting a cheeky single, while Samuelswas bowled by Shahid Afridi for 20 after striking a six off the previous delivery.It soon became 81-5 as Denesh Ramdin holed out in the deep off left-arm spinnerZulfiqur Babar, but Sammy and Bravo stepped in to play what turned out to bematch-winning knocks. Source: AFP