WI VS SL - 35th Match, Super 12 Group 1, ICC Mens T20 World Cup 2021

As Pollard said, this could be the end of a generational T20 talent in West Indies, but Hetmyer, Pooran and Akeal Hosein have showed that the cupboard isn't bare. They'll be back in 2022, perhaps even stronger and even better. So will Sri Lanka, who will leave this tournament with a stock of young talented cricketers coming up. 2021 was perhaps a tad too early in their careers, but they have shown glimpses of what could be in store in the future. As it stands, three teams are left with two places up for grabs from this group. Was dubbed as the 'group of death' and it has certainly proved so. We'll be back tomorrow with another double-header. Do join us for all the action. For now, cheers and bye..

Dasun Shanaka | Winning captain - A very good victory, the youngsters have worked hard to get this win and I'm happy for them. The bowlers were on the spot, as they have been for major parts of the tournament. I knew they had potential (on Nissanka and Asalanka), they have worked hard, they have a long career, and a lot of cricket to come. They'll have a place in every team. The team is moving in the right direction, the fans have been behind us throughout, we are thankful for them, everyone here and around the world. He is a gem (on Wanindu Hasaranga), a superstar in the making. It's still the start of his career. He needs to be protected as he's a real prospect in world cricket.

Kieron Pollard | Losing captain - We have been below par, in crucial games like this, we haven't played well, we were not good enough. Was a good batting track, but 189 was a bit too much. They batted us out of the game, played smartly, 17 fours, only 3 sixes, they ran a lot of twos. That was the crucial moment there because they wouldn't give us any chances but the bowlers kept coming. We wanted to restrict them to 120 or 140, but they batted really well. We needed to be smart with our batting, like Hetmyer did, we knew what he could do, knock the ones and twos, and then find the odd boundaries, like Hetmyer did, that was one positive, but we need him to show more such consistency. The batting of Nic Pooran was good as well. We need to have batting smarts, we have the talent, we haven't done well, we have to accept it, our experienced players haven't done well, including myself. We need to look at those things going forward, a couple of young guys have put their hand up, that's good news for the future. It's no secret, things like these happen, but cricket has to go on. We can be better, the guys have been hurting in the dressing room, especially the batters. We didn't see this coming, but it has happened and that's something we need to learn.

Charith Asalanka | Player of the match: It's always a good thing to have a half-century and a match-winning innings for my country and I'll look to do the same in future. Before the World Cup, I didn't play a lot of T20 cricket but I asked the senior players, and I wanted to improve my game everyday with their help. I've waited for 5 years and worked hard to get to the national side, and this is the time I'm getting paid back so it is time to win more matches for my country. I'd like to thank the fans in my country for supporting us through and through.

They needed a strong start in the chase of 190, but they lost both openers in the second over. Nic Pooran threatened, but it was the spinners who made the difference in the end - Theekshana and Hasaranga bowled 8 overs between themselves and finished with figures of 2 for 40, simply gold dust in such lofty chases. West Indies perhaps didn't plan the chase well, they could have been a bit more aggressive, but they simply left themselves with too much to do, something that was beyond the reach, even to some of the biggest hitters of the cricket ball. Shimron Hetmyer did show some spark towards the end, compiling his career-best score, and this innings along with Pooran's promises better things for West Indies in the future. The champs of 2012 and 2016 aren't going to defend their title, one of the most fearsome era of power-hitting that defined T20 cricket could also be coming towards a sad end.

21:50 Local Time, 17:50 GMT, 23:20 IST: We'll have a new champion this year. The defending champions have made a slow and laboured exit - nothing went right for West Indies this time around, the warning signals were set even before the start of the tournament, it was perhaps ignited, but the first match of the Super-12 started a nightmare that just didn't end. Bundled out for a mere 55 by England and they simply didn't recover. Beaten by South Africa and only a last gasp win over Bangladesh kept them alive. Not for long as a spunky Sri Lanka ended their tournament with a fine victory here today. End of an era, perhaps the end of the careers of some T20 greats - Dwayne Bravo for sure, maybe Chris Gayle and Lendl Simmons as well.

Chameera to Hetmyer, 1 run, West Indies have been eliminated - low full-toss on off and it's smashed back at the non-striker, Akeal Hosein couldn't away in time and cops a blow on the pads, but he still insists on a run as the ball rolled towards mid-wicket - Hetmyer wasn't interested, but finally does decide to cross over. Sri Lanka win by 20 runs

Chameera to Hetmyer, FOUR, lovely delivery , but it costs Chameera a boundary - the perfect yorker, just wide of off, Hetmyer jammed his bat down hard, gets a thick edge that went very fine and past the keeper

Chameera to Hetmyer, no run, yorker length delivery on off, Hetmyer digs it out back at the bowler, they decide against a run

Chameera to Hetmyer, SIX, Hetmyer is keeping the crowd entertained - length ball wide of off and it's carved high and over extra-cover for a maximum

Chameera to Hetmyer, no run, yorker length delivery outside off - Hetmyer can't do much about it, squeezes it to the off-side

Chameera to Hetmyer, 2 runs, that should be it, unless Chameera bowls a wide or a no-ball, length delivery and Hetmyer went hard on the slog, gets a thick inside edge, wide of mid-wicket and he's back for the second

34 needed from the last over, basically 5 sixes and a four - will certainly need some terrible bowling if Hetmyer manages this

Karunaratne to Hetmyer, byes, 1 run, short of a length and angling across the left-hander, Hetmyer swings and misses, they do manage to steal a bye

Chris Gayle, looking very sombre in the dug-out

Karunaratne to Hetmyer, no run, short of a good length and just outside off - Hetmyer went too hard on the pull and gets a thick inside edge onto his pads, he's furious at missing out

Karunaratne to Hetmyer, FOUR, make that 16 off 3 balls, could be all too late, but this is some great entertainment from Hetmyer - slower ball outside off and he carved it away wide of cover, runs away to the ropes

Karunaratne to Hetmyer, SIX, back-to-back sixes for Hetmyer - he's keeping his team in with a slim chance, picked the slower ball and shoveled it back over the bowler's head, has enough to clear the ropes on the full

Karunaratne to Hetmyer, SIX, crunched, length ball and Hetmyer gets right under it - drills it high and towards long-on - the fielder did try his best, leapt as high as he could, but only managed a fingertip as he palmed it over the ropes

Karunaratne to Hetmyer, wide, the slower ball from Karunaratne, but it's short and down leg, called as a wide