Kolkata: A stunning hat-trick from Josh Hazlewood was not enough for Australia, as Darren Sammy led the West Indies from the front with an unbeaten half-century to script a morale-boosting three-wicket win in a World Twenty20 warm-up match at Eden Gardens on Sunday.
After Carlos Brathwaite turned it around with a 27-ball 33 (3×4, 2×6), Sammy played the anchor role with an unbeaten 50 laced with one six and six fours to steer them home with a ball to spare.
The win was all the more important as their big-hitting opener Chris Gayle did not bat despite being in the playing XI and they were staring down the barrel after Hazlewood reduced them to 18/3 in the 4th over with his hat-trick in their chase of 162.
With his brilliant inswingers, Hazlewood (3/13) first dismissed Jason Holder (lbw), before unsettling the woodwork of Malron Samuels and Dwayne Bravo.
But Delhi Daredevils recruit Brathwaite, who was snapped up for Rs 4.20 crore in the IPL, displayed his batting prowess taking the attack to the Aussies with his big hits especially against Mitchell Marsh in the 15th over that yielded 17 runs.
He got out in the next over but by then the team needed just 37 from 27 balls and Sammy, the Windies’ 2012 World Twenty20 winning skipper, completed the formality holding on at the other end.
Earlier, Australia opted to bat following a mutual decision as Shane Watson (60 from 39 balls; 4×4, 4×6) and Aaron Finch (33 from 24b; 6×4) gave them an explosive start.
The duo shared 76 runs for the opening wicket partnership before Sulieman Benn gave the first breakthrough dismissing Finch as at the midway stage Australia were 85/1.
But the Windies pegged Aussies back riding on Dwayen Bravo’s 4/21, while Benn returned with an equally impressive 3/37 as it was their bowling effort that lifted the side at a time when their fielding was once again sloppy.
Having come in to the tournament short on match practice, it was a morale boosting win for the Windies, who lost their first warm-up match to India on March 10, as Sammy danced on his way to scoring the winning run.
Sammy’s men leave for Mumbai on Monday for their tournament opener against England on March 16.(PTI)
score board
Australia innings
AJ Finch c Holder b Benn 33
SR Watson c Nurse b Bravo 60
SPD Smith* lbw b Bravo 36
UT Khawaja c †Ramdin b Brathwaite 05
GJ Maxwell b Benn 0
MR Marsh c Sammy b Benn 02
PM Nevill† c †Ramdin b Brathwaite 04
JW Hastings b Bravo 10
A Zampa b Bravo 02
AJ Tye not out 0
Extras 09
Total 161/9
West Indies innings
J Charles c Maxwell b Smith 14
JO Holder lbw b Hazlewood 06
MN Samuels b Hazlewood 0
DJ Bravo b Hazlewood 0
D Ramdin† lbw b Zampa 11
AD Russell c Finch b Tye 29
DJG Sammy* not out 50
CR Brathwaite c Maxwell b Tye 33
AR Nurse not out 12
Extras 07
Total 162/7