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Dilshan helps Sri Lanka beat West Indies in T20 semifinal

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LONDON, June 20: Splendid performances from openers for Sri Lanka put them in the final of the World Twenty20 as they beat West Indies by 57 runs in the second semifinal at the Oval, Friday. They now meet Pakistan for the trophy on Sunday at the Lord´s.[break]



Tilakratne Dilshan, the tournament´s leading run scorer, carried his bat through the innings scoring 96 not out off 57 balls to help Sri Lanka score 158/8 before Angelo Matthews took three wickets in the first over to put West Indies on backfoot.



Matthews´ 3/16 and ace-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan´s 3/29 outshown Chris Gayle´s knock of 63 not out off 50 balls. No other West Indies batsman scored double-digit as they were bowled out for 101 in 17.4 overs.



Mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis continued good work with 2/9 while Lasith Malinga and Isuru Udana took a wicket each.



Earlier, man of the match Dilshan´s 96 not out was the centrepiece of Sri Lanka´s 158/5 after West Indies captain Chris Gayle chose to bowl first. Dilshan´s 57-ball innings, featuring two sixes and 12 fours, was the equal third-best in Twenty20 international history.



Only fellow opener Sanath Jayasuriya (24) and Angelo Mathews (12 not out) also made it into double figures.



Dilshan got Sri Lanka off to a flyer, sweeping a low full toss from Jerome Taylor for six and handing out similar treatment to West Indies captain and off-spinner Chris Gayle.



"He is a pioneering stroke-maker in Twenty20," Sangakkara said about Dilshan.



But a first-wicket stand of 73 was ended when Jayawardene, who had been unusually subdued, flicked Bravo straight to Taylor at short fine leg.



It was the start of a collapse that saw three wickets lost for four runs in eight balls. Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara fell for a duck when Kieron Pollard leapt at point to hold a well-struck cut shot off Bravo.



And Mahela Jayawardene had made only two before he too was caught at short fine leg, by Shivnarine Chanderpaul, off medium-pacer Pollard.



Dilshan then completed his fifty and took advantage of a trio of loose deliveries to hit three fours in as many balls off medium-pacer Bravo.



Mathews added late impetus by striking Gayle for a six and a four off successive balls in the final over.



Dilshan needed to hit a six off the last ball to become only the second player, after Gayle, to score a Twenty20 international hundred but was unable to clear the ropes although the over went for 18 runs.



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