Australia make SA's semifinals equation more difficult after 8-wicket win over WI

Australia cruised to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over the West Indies on Saturday and almost sealed a T20 World Cup semifinal spot. David Warner's award-winning performance helped them chase down 158 in 16.1 overs. West Indies, the defending champions, finished their World Cup campaign with just one win under their belt.

West Indies bowlers failed to create enough pressure and their fielding was slightly sloppy too. All the bowlers except Akeal Hosein leaked runs and David Warner and Mitchell Marsh smashed them all around the park.

Earlier, the West Indies openers- Evin Lewis and Chris Gayle- were off the blocks quickly. After a quiet fast over from Mitchell Starc, the duo went after Josh Hazlewood in the second over. Pat Cummins was also welcomed into the attack by Gayle with a massive six. But the fast bowler had the last laugh as he got rid of Gayle the very next ball. It looked like Gayle played his last match for the West Indies. The West Indies great removed his helmet and raised his bat to acknowledge the crowd. Gayle made 15 off nine balls.

Hazlewood redeemed himself after a poor first over and sent back in-form Nicholas Pooran and Roston Chase. West Indies were 35 for three in the fourth over.

West Indies slowed down after the fall of those three wickets. Lewis stitched a partnership of run-a-ball 35 with Shimron Hetmyer before the former fell in the 10th over. Lewis scored 29 off 26. Adam Zampa accounted for his wicket.

Hetmyer struggled to score quickly and he was out caught behind down the leg side off Hazlewood after scoring 27 off 28 deliveries. His dismissal left the West Indies in a spot of bother at 91 for five after 13 overs. 

Skipper Kieron Pollard started off slowly but accelerated towards the end. Dwayne Bravo, in his last international innings, hit a trademark six inside out over cover before perishing for 10. Pollard struck four boundaries and a six en route to his 31-ball-44. Andre Russell smashed two massive sixes in the final over of the innings bowled by Mitchell Starc, one of them being as long as 111 meters. He was unbeaten on 18 off seven. The flurry of boundaries in the slog overs helped the West Indies post 157 for seven after 20 overs. The last five overs yielded 58 runs.

Hazlewood picked up four wickets but was expensive, giving away 39 runs. Zampa bowled well, returning one for 20 in four overs.

Australia raced to the target in overs thanks to David Warner's best performance in World Cups. The left-hander was ably backed up by Mitchell Marsh who also scored an entertaining fifty. Aaron Finch was dismissed early but the West Indies bowlers failed to stem the run flow. Warner was in superb touch and brought up his half-century in just 29 balls. 

The West Indies tried to keep Marsh quiet with legspin and left-arm orthodox spin but a six over extra cover off Akeal Hosein got him going. Marsh was the second Australian batter to get out for 53 off 32 balls. Warner and Marsh added 124 runs off only 12.3 overs.

But Warner was there until the end and the winning runs were scored off his bat. Warner was unbeaten on 89 off 56 balls. His innings involved nine fours and four sixes.