Pollard guides West Indies to 157-7 against Australia

West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard hit 44 to propel outgoing champions West Indies to 157 for seven against Australia in a key Twenty20 World Cup clash on Saturday.

Josh Hazlewood took four wickets including Dwayne Bravo, who scored just 10 in his last international.

Australia elected to bowl first in the Super 12 clash in Abu Dhabi as they eye one of the two semi-final spots with three teams battling it out in Group 1.

South Africa play England, who are all but through to the final four, in the evening match and the result will decide the top two teams from this group.

Pollard rescued his side, who failed to defend their title after a loss to Sri Lanka took them out of the semi-final race, from 91-5 with his 31-ball knock and a key partnership of 35 with Bravo.

Andre Russell finished off the innings with two sixes off Mitchell Starc in his unbeaten 18 off seven balls.

Openers Evin Lewis and Chris Gayle started in attacking mode hitting the Australian pace bowlers to all parts of the ground in an opening stand of 30 off 14 balls.

Lewis smashed Hazlewood for three successive boundaries.

Gayle hit two sixes including one off Pat Cummins before the bowler got the veteran big-hitter to chop a delivery on to the stumps.

The 42-year-old West Indies great made 15 off nine balls and walked back, probably for the last time in national colours, to a standing ovation and hugs from his teammates.

Hazlewood came back with a bang with twin strikes as he sent back Nicholas Pooran and Roston Chase, bowled for nought, in the space of three deliveries, to leave the West Indies teetering at 35-3.

The left-handed pair of Lewis and Shimron Hetmyer, who made 27, fought back with a partnership of 35 but Adam Zampa broke the stand with his leg spin.

He got Lewis out for 29.

West Indies need to win to stay in the top eight of the world rankings and earn a direct entry into the Super 12 stage of next year's T20 World Cup in Australia.