India, Pakistan united in defeat

India, the defending champions, slumped to a seven-wicket defeat to unpredictable West Indies

Cricket superpowers India and Pakistan were united in defeat on Friday as their World Twenty20 title hopes took a battering.

India, the defending champions, slumped to a seven-wicket defeat to unpredictable West Indies while Pakistan lost by 19 runs to Sri Lanka at Lord's.

The losses mean the two Asian giants may need to win their both their remaining Super Eights matches to be sure of reaching the semi-finals.

India will have the toughest task with England and tournament favourites South Africa to come while Pakistan tackle injury-hit New Zealand and minnows Ireland.

"It's the kind of format where you have to dominate from the start and we didn't get a good start," said India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Dwayne Bravo was India's chief tormentor with bat and ball as he claimed four wickets in India's 153-7 before smashing 66 not out off 36 balls to lead his team home with eight balls to spare.

The West Indies won despite a modest contribution from captain and star batsman, Chris Gayle, who made 22 off 28 balls and played out a maiden over from off-spinner Harbhajan Singh.

When Gayle departed in the eighth over, top-edging a catch off Yusuf Pathan, the West Indies had moved to 42-2 and reached 61 without further loss at the half-way stage.

Lendl Simmons and Bravo put on 58 for the third wicket, Simmons making 44 off 37 balls before holing out in the deep off left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha.

The West Indies raced home by taking 16 runs off the 17th over by seamer Ishant Sharma and 15 from the next by Harbhajan.

Earlier, Yuvraj Singh and Yusuf Pathan staged a late rally with 64 off 35 balls for the fifth wicket after India had managed only 66 by the 12th over for the loss of four wickets.

Left-handed Yuvraj hit 67 off 43 balls with six fours and two sixes.

West Indies captain Chris Gayle believes his unpredictable team can get better.

"There's always room for improvement, but it was brilliant tonight. We always thought 154 was a gettable target and it was a superb innings from Dwayne."

Earlier, Sri Lanka, defending a total of just 150 for seven, held Pakistan to 131 for nine with fast bowler Lasith Malinga taking three for 18.

"We struggled at the start and we didn't have any good partnerships," said Pakistan captain Younus Khan.

Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara praised his team's performance.

"It was a great, all-round effort to defend that total when we should have had 170 or 175. With better options and partnerships, we could have had a more comfortable total," he said.

Younus made 50 and put on 66 for the fourth wicket with Misbah-ul-Haq.

Sri Lanka had been 81 without loss before leg-spinner Shahid Afridi took two for three in six balls to reduce them to 89 for two.

Openers Tillekaratne Dilshan (46) and Sanath Jayasuriya (26) got Sri Lanka off to a flyer with fast bowler Sohail Tanvir enduring a nightmare start as he conceded 29 runs in his two overs.