Chris Gayle powers West Indies into final

Chris Gayle in action

BBC Sports — Oct 5 2012 — Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard produced a superb display of power hitting as West Indies thrashed Australia to reach the final of the World Twenty20.

Gayle (75no) and Pollard added 65 off 25 balls as the Windies racked up 205-4, the highest score of the tournament.

Despite a defiant 29-ball 63 from captain George Bailey, Australia never recovered from a poor start, crumbling to 131 all out to lose by 74 runs.

West Indies will meet hosts Sri Lanka in the final in Colombo on Sunday.

It was a phenomenal display from West Indies, based around another exhibition by the peerless Gayle.

Despite facing only 41 balls in the 20-over innings and requiring treatment midway through for a side strain, the left-handed opener still managed to get within 25 runs of a century, smashing six sixes and five fours with a strike rate of 182.

Marlon Samuels helped set the tempo with a breezy 26 and Dwayne Bravo hit three towering sixes in his 37 off 31 balls.

However, it was Gayle and Pollard, who plundered 63 runs off the last four overs, who really demoralised Australia.