Australia's attack has been mauled by centurion Marlon Samuels in Barbados, where the hosts posted 8-282 in the knockout ODI clash.
Steve Smith's side will finish third in the tri-series and miss the final, also at Kensington Oval on Monday (AEST), if they're unable to haul in a target of 283.
Smith would have banked on a lower number after winning the toss and snaring two catches as West Indies slipped to 3-31.
But Samuels (125) and Denesh Ramdin (91) steadied in style, breaking records as they feasted on some wayward bowling and listless fielding in a 192-run stand.
It was the highest fourth-wicket ODI partnership at the venue.
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The 35-year-old Samuels celebrated his first ton in any format against Australia, while it was also Ramdin's highest score against Australia.
Sloppy fielding, a concern for Smith for much of the tournament, was again an issue.
Matthew Wade dropped a one-handed catch when Samuels was on 65 and West Indies were 3-132 in the 29th over.
It was a tough diving chance but one that simply needed to be taken, especially given the way Samuels took control of the contest.
Wade wasn't alone, with Smith struggling to hide his frustration after teammates gave up too many cheap runs through misfields.
George Bailey missed a chance to run out Kieron Pollard on seven, with the burly veteran adding a further 13 runs before he fell to Scott Boland.
Boland, preferred by selectors ahead of Nathan Coulter-Nile and Adam Zampa, finished with figures of 2-69 from 10 overs.
Mitch Marsh also copped some treatment from Samuels and Ramdin, going at 7.2 runs an over.
Starc was comfortably his side's best bowler and broke the game-changing stand when he clattered Ramdin's stumps.
Starc also removed openers Johnson Charles and Andre Fletcher in his 50th ODI, moving his career tally to 98 wickets.
But it all unravelled as Samuels and Ramdin teed off.
Samuels was dismissed with the final ball of the innings, when he tried to belt a 17th boundary.
WEST INDIES' HIGHEST ODI STANDS v AUSTRALIA
*205 runs - Sir Viv Richards & Desmond Haynes, MCG in 1979
*192 runs - Marlon Samuels & Denesh Ramdin, Kensington Oval in 2016
WEST INDIES' HIGHEST FOURTH-WICKET ODI STANDS
*226 runs - Shivnarine Chanderpaul & Carl Hooper, East London in 1999
*211 runs - Dwayne Bravo & Kirk Edwards, Hamilton in 2014
*192 runs - Marlon Samuels & Denesh Ramdin, Kensington Oval in 2016
HIGHEST ODI STANDS AT KENSINGTON OVAL
*200 runs - Shivnarine Chanderpaul & Stuart Williams, 1997
*194 runs - Boeta Dippenaar & Jacques Kallis, 2005
*192 runs - Marlon Samuels & Denesh Ramdin, 2016.
