END OF OVER:20 | 12 Runs | WI: 138/8 (58 runs required, RR: 6.90)
- Jerome Taylor16 (9b)
- Sulieman Benn6 (4b)
- Nuwan Kulasekara4-0-27-1
- Lasith Malinga4-0-28-3
Mark from New Zealand: "Chat from Canada. There are some very experienced players in the West Indies side so have have to expect some criticism. And I'm sure what is being said on line will be nothing compared to the disappointment of their fans at home."
196 was always going to be a tough target, and with Chanders and Gayle falling early, West Indies' chances were very slim. That said, they need to sort out their team selection, a specialist batsman Hinds is wasted at No. 8. Sri Lanka have little to worry about after most thing s went right for them, Jayawardene nearing getting back-to-back centuries, Sangakkara finding form, and the bowling doing a professional job.
Steve, not surprising from the UK, conjectures: "THIS is what would have happened to the Windies had they faced a full 20 overs against England."
Post-match presentation:
Gayle: "We had our chances, but we put them down. I can't say why our fielding was so bad, we have worked extremely hard on it, we are in a must-win situation now, hope we can lift our games. We definitely had the right combination, it was always going to be difficult against an experienced Sri Lanka side."
Sangakkara: "Mahela was superb again, his form has been crucial to us getting this far in the tournament. I think Mathews and Kapugedera in good form, but they haven't got enough of a chance to bat, and we have Dilshan as well, who struggled a bit on th eslower pitches but should be good on this track here. We need to brush up our fielding a bit more, though."
Jayawardene is the Man of the Match. "Whatever the role you re given, you back yourself to contribute, opening the bating gives you more time, it suits my game. You have to take a bit of time to get used to the pace of the track, once the ball gets older you can take advantage."
Charitha de Silva points out the Sri Lanka beat West Indies by the same margin in the semi-finals last year in England.
Bala asks Steve whether that is really an English side, Rakesh wonders whatever happened to Dwayne Smith, and there are plenty more Pollard is over-rated posts.
That's it from us for today. Thanks for all the comments, join us for the two big matches tomorrow. Till then, this is Siddarth Ravindran saying Bye.