The West Indies team bowled off their best-of-three T20 cricket series against Sri Lanka with victory following an exciting five-wicket win at the Rangiri Dambulla International Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
The Windies showed confidence after opting to field first after winning the toss, a strategy that seemed well played after dismantling the Sri Lankan top order for 58 runs inside four overs.
Half-centuries from Kamindu Mendis (51 runs) and Charith Asalanka (59 runs) offered stability to the batting as they raised the score to 140 before Medis fell as the fourth wicket in over 17.
Asalanka followed shortly in the 19th to make it 160-5.
Sri Lanka added 19 more runs before the close of their innings, losing two more wickets in the process, for a final score of 179 runs, setting the Windies a victory target of 180 from 20 overs.
Five of the six Windies bowlers bagged wickets, with Romario Shepherd being the pick of the bowlers, taking an economical 2-29 from his four overs.
In reply, the West Indies were relentless as half-centuries from openers Brandon King (63 runs) and Evan Lewis(50 runs) set the tone for the regional team, who looked purposeful in their innings, racing to 107 runs before Lewis’s dismissal in the 10th over.
King’s dismal as the third wicket in over 14 following Shai Hope’s cameo of seven runs as the second casualty signalled a mini-collapse with the usually calculated Rostan Chase and Skipper Roveman Powell sent back early for 19 and 13 runs, respectively, with the score at 160-5, and five overs left.
With 20 runs left to get in 30 balls(five overs), the lower order showed much composure as they forced “extras” from the Sri Lankan team, which further reduced their target with Shefane Rutherford depositing nine valuable runs, including a winning four to secure victory in the final over.
The scores at the end of the game reflected Sri Lanka -179-7 and West Indies 180-5.
The Windies now take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three series. They will aim for a series-winning 2-0 lead when both teams square off again on Tuesday.
