Narine opts for IPL over Windies´ Tests

ST JOHN´S, Antigua and Barbuda: West Indies´ off spinner Sunil Narine has opted to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final and as a result will miss the forthcoming Tests against New Zealand, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) said Friday.

Narine wanted to play for Kolkata Knight Riders in Sunday´s IPL 2014 final, and as a result missed the WICB´s June 1 deadline for joining the Windies´ preparatory camp.

The WICB said that the 26-year-old will now not be considered for home Tests against New Zealand on June 8 and 30.

WICB Director of Cricket Richard Pybus said that under recent guidelines players must make themselves available for team preparations in order to be considered for Tests.

"The onus of the WICB is to protect the integrity of international cricket at all times," said Pybus."International cricket, and specifically Test cricket, is priority and requires dedicated preparation which is integral to team success.

"The WICB policy requires players to commit to sufficient preparation leading in to a series as part of a culture of excellence."

Narine will however be considered for selection for two Twenty20 Internationals against New Zealand on July 5 and 6 in Dominica, the WICB said.

Training squad: Denesh Ramdin (Captain), Sulieman Benn, Darren Bravo,Dwayne Bravo, Shiv Chanderpaul, Kirk Edwards, Shannon Gabriel, Chris Gayle, Jason Holder, Shane Shillingford, Kieran Powell, Kemar Roach, Marlon Samuels, Jerome Taylor. (AFP)

Sri Lanka crush Windies to reach World T20 final

DHAKA: Sri Lanka reached the final of the World Twenty20 with a 27-run win over West Indies, the defending champions, after the first semi-final was ended by rain on Thursday.

Set a challenging 161-run target, the West Indies were well short on the Duckworth-Lewis method when a thunderstorm stopped play after 13.5 overs at the Shere Bangla stadium in Dhaka.

West Indies, who would have needed 108 to win on the D/L method, were 80-4 when play was halted.

The win was sweet revenge for Sri Lanka who lost the 2012 final in Colombo to the West Indies. Sri Lanka will face the winners of the second semi-final between 2007 champions India and South Africa, also in Dhaka on Friday. The final will be played in Dhaka on Sunday.

Dwayne Bravo hit a 19-ball 30 studded with three boundaries and a six to take the fight to the Sri Lankan bowlers who took three wickets in the space of nine runs after the West Indies had reached 25-0 in the fifth over.

Spearhead Lasith Malinga, who was leading Sri Lanka after their regular captain Dinesh Chandimal opted out due to lack of form, dismissed dangerman Chris Gayle (three) and Dwayne Smith (17) in his second over.

Malinga had figures of 2-5 in his two overs. Leg-spinner Seekkuge Prasanna had Lendl Simmons lbw (four) to leave the West Indies struggling at 34-3 before Bravo and Marlon Samuels (18 not out) added 43 for the fourth wicket.

Bravo was smartly caught in the deep by Mahela Jayawardene off paceman Nuwan Kulasekara and three balls later the rain arrived in the aftermath of strong winds. When Sri Lanka batted after winning the toss, Lahiru Thirimanne top-scored with a career best 35-ball 44, Tillakaratne Dilshan made a run-a-ball 39 and Angelo Mathews a fiery 23-ball 40.Mathews hit two sixes and three boundaries to give the innings much-needed impetus before he fell off the last delivery.

Paceman Krishmar Santokie finished with two for 46 runs.

Thirimanne hit three boundaries and two sixes.Sri Lanka had raced to 41 in the fourth over thanks to Dilshan and Kusal Perera (26), before they lost three wickets in the space of 15 balls.Perera, who hit two fours and as many sixes off 12 balls, was bowled by Santokie before Jayawardene was run out without facing a delivery.Kumar Sangakkara miscued a drive and was caught and bowled by leg-spinner Samuel Badree for one.

Dilshan and Thirimanne added 42 for the fourth wicket before Dilshan became the second batsman to be run out. He hit two boundaries and a six.