The West Indies have stormed into the final of the World Twenty20 with a clinical 74-run win over Australia in Colombo on Friday.
Electing to bat first, the Windies put up a mammoth 4-205, the highest total of the tournament, which was powered by Chris Gayle (75 not out off 41 balls), Dwayne Bravo (37 off 31) and Kieron Pollard (38 off 15).
The Australian chase never got going and they were bowled out for 131 in 16.4 overs with only skipper George Bailey (63 off 29) putting up a fight.
Mike Hussey's 18 in 12 balls ended up as their second highest score.
The top order had served Australia well through the tournament but David Warner (one off three) fell in the first over to Samuel Badree (2-27) with television replays deciding that the ball had clipped the off stump.
Hussey put on 21 with Shane Watson (seven off nine) before falling in the fourth over, slicing a Marlon Samuels off-spinner high in the air with the bowler taking the catch.
Watson fell in the next over, cleaned up by Badree and Ravi Rampaul (3-16) struck twice in his first over to remove Cameron White (five off six) and David Hussey (zero off two) leaving Australia reeling at 5-42 in the seventh over.
Australia's chances looked over when Matthew Wade (one off five) top-edged a sweep off Sunil Narine (2-17) to Badree at short fine leg but Bailey began a terrific onslaught in the company of Pat Cummins (13 off 15).
Bailey hit four sixes and six boundaries in his innings, putting on 68 runs in six overs to keep Australia in the hunt with 25 runs off one Andre Russell over giving West Indies something to think about.
But the skipper fell to Pollard (2-6) when he was caught by Russell at midwicket and the tail failed to put up much fight as Australia slumped to their second heaviest T20 defeat.
Earlier, Gayle was in prime form hitting six sixes after the West Indies had lost Johnson Charles (10 off 13) early.
The left-hander found an able ally in Samuels (26 off 20) as the pair put on 41 in 4.3 overs and there was no respite for Australia, despite claiming a wicket, with Bravo coming out all guns blazing.
Gayle and Bravo made 83 runs in 8.3 overs and the carnage continued with the arrival of Pollard, who tore into Xavier Doherty (1-48) hitting three sixes in the final over that went for 25 runs.
Cummins (2-36) and Mitchell Starc (1-32) were the other wicket-takers for Australia.
The West Indies will now take on local favourites Sri Lanka in the final at the same venue on Sunday.
First Posted 06 October, 2012 7:30AM AEDT
