DHAKA (AFP) – Sri Lanka s stand-in captain Lasith Malinga won the toss and elected to bat against the West Indies in the World Twenty20 semi-final in Dhaka on Thursday.
Malinga was leading Sri Lanka after regular captain Dinesh Chandimal, who missed the last match due to a one-match suspension for slow over-rates, voluntarily opted out of the semi-final.
Chandimal s decision meant batsman Lahiru Thirimanne got another chance after making a valuable 20 on a difficult pitch in the previous game against New Zealand in Chittagong.
The West Indies, the defending champions, retained the same side that beat Pakistan in a crucial group match in Dhaka on Tuesday to qualify for the semi-finals.
Unbeaten India will meet South Africa in Friday s second semi-final.
Sri Lanka: Lasith Malinga (capt), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kusal Perera, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Lahiru Thirimanne, Angelo Mathews, Seekkuge Prasanna, Nuwan Kulasekara, Sachithra Senanayake, Rangana Herath.
West Indies: Darren Sammy (capt), Dwayne Smith, Chris Gayle, Lendl Simmons, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Samuel Badree, Krishmar Santokie.
Umpires: Richard Kettleborough (ENG) and Rod Tucker (AUS)
TV umpire: Steve Davis (AUS)
Match referee: David Boon (AUS)