Day 19 Talking Points: Advantage Australia in semi-final race, West Indies crash out

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All about that NRR

Australia went into this match knowing that their qualification hopes may well come down to net run rate. And that underlying permutation was the basis behind their approach in Dubai, as they went hard at Bangladesh right from the off.

And the speed of the chase – where Aaron Finch, David Warner and Mitchell Marsh hit 78 off just 6.2 overs – could yet have huge implications in the final make-up of Group 1.

If Australia beat West Indies in their final game then they can only be caught by South Africa, who must beat England and now make up a significant NRR disadvantage.

But if Australia and South Africa both lose in the final round of Group 1 matches, then the Aussies’ NRR advantage could (and like should) still be enough.

STANDINGS

Zampa is a revelation

Australia’s bowling attack will make them a threat to any side in this tournament. A pace trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins has the ability to bowl the Aussies to any win.

But it’s Adam Zampa who is the side’s trump card. The leg-spinner is a real wicket-taking threat and Bangladesh couldn’t handle him in Dubai.

The 29-year-old finished with figures of 5/19 off his four overs, and those did not flatter him.

“The overs that I bowled today was purely about taking wickets, we needed to target a low score today and it was about being aggressive,” Zampa explained, referring to the strategy behind how he was used against the Tigers.

And it’s fair to say he delivered that wicket-taking aggression in spades.

Sorry campaign for Bangladesh

The Tigers went into the tournament ranked sixth in the world and with hopes of doing something in the Super 12s.

But the loss to Scotland first up got the ball rolling on a thoroughly disappointing World Cup campaign from Bangladesh, who have lost all five of their matches in Group 1, and in heavy fashion against first England, then South Africa, and now Australia.

It’s not that there weren’t chances for the Tigers. They should have beaten Sri Lanka, but didn’t. They should have beaten West Indies, but didn’t. And it’s hard to come back from matches like that.

But it’s with the bat that Bangladesh have especially flattered to deceive late in the tournament, with the team collapsing like a house of cards to 84 all out against the Proteas and now an ignominious 73 all out against the Aussies.

This final game felt like a team that had checked out mentally, which will only make the pressure to overhaul the whole T20 set-up even more intense.

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Future bright for Sri Lanka

Earlier in the tournament, Sri Lanka coach Mickey Arthur had touted Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka as the future of the country’s batting.

And while they have shown glimpses individually in the past few games, Nissanka and Asalanka combined today and showed the world that the praise lavished by their coach was not for nothing.

Kusal Perera and Nissanka were sensational in the Powerplay, with the former assuming the role of the aggressor. Once Perera got out, Asalanka and Nissanka ensured Sri Lanka don’t lose the momentum, smashing three fours in the next 10 balls.

Nissanka, for most parts, played second fiddle to Asalanka who was in tremendous touch, finding the boundaries at will.

The opener brought up his fifty in 39 balls but holed out in the bid to up the ante heading into the death overs.

Asalanka continued to pile on Windies’ misery en route his 41-ball 68 before he holed out in the deep.

The performance of the two young batters in the World Cup has given Sri Lanka a solid base to build for the future. Given the talent elsewhere in the lineup, in the likes of Hasaranga, Theekshana, Chameera, among others, Sri Lanka have a solid spine in the team to lead them out of the transitional phase.

Lot to ponder for West Indies

Champions from the previous edition of the T20 World Cup, there were a lot of expectations from West Indies heading into the tournament in UAE. Unfortunately, they couldn’t live up the billing of defending champions, crashing out without even making it to the semi-finals.

They were dealt a massive in their first game of the tournament, where they were bowled out by England for 55. They didn’t really manage to recover from the dismal performance, though they did win against Bangladesh to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

But the defeat to Sri Lanka was the final nail in the coffin.

Though there were a few positives, especially in the batting performances of Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer, West Indies may be in for a major overhaul in the lead-up to the 2022 T20 World Cup.

The batting was particularly disappointing, given the firepower in their ranks, but the bowing too flattered to deceive, bagging just 14 wickets in their four games so far.

State of Group 1

West Indies’ defeat means the qualification from Group 1 is now a three-way battle between England, South Africa and Australia.

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka were out of reckoning heading into their games on Thursday against Australia and West Indies respectively.

England are almost guaranteed a spot in the semi-final unless they lose the final game against South Africa by a massive margin that dents their huge net run rate of +3.183.

The fate of Australia and South Africa will be decided in their final games against West Indies and England respectively.