Sri Lanka registered their first T20 win in 18 months beating the West Indies by 43 runs in the second game of the series at Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua. A half century by opening batsman Danushka Gunathilaka and a dominant spin-bowling display, recorded this first against the Windies since 2015.
Stand-in T20I skipper Angelo Mathews won the toss and chose to bat first with the expectation of putting up a better batting performance this time around as they had a terrible day with the bat in the first game.
The hosts West Indies came up with an unchanged team while Sri Lanka had made a one change playing an extra spinner in Lakshan Sandakan replacing speedster Nuwan Pradeep.
Sri Lanka changed their opening batting pair in this game sending Pathum Nissanka to partner with Danushka Gunathilaka probably with the left-right hand batting combination in mind to off-rail the opposition opening bowlers.
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The ploy really worked as they got Sri Lanka to a flying start putting on a 95-run partnership in 10.2 overs. However, both batsmen were dismissed in the 11th over putting the brakes on Sri Lanka’s innings at 96 for 2.
There on, the middle order batsmen failed to pick up the momentum and continued to lose wickets at regular intervals, but the late impetus given by Wanindu Hasaranga’s 11-ball 19 runs helped Sri Lanka put up a fighting total of 160 runs.
Experienced campaigner Dwayne Bravo was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts bagging 2 wickets for 25 runs in the allotted 4 overs.
In reply, the Windies got off to a shaky start losing the opening batsman Evin Lewis for just 6 runs of the bowling off Akila Dananjaya. Lendl Simmons and number three batsman Chris Gayle looked threatening during their stay at the middle, but leg spinner Hasaranga managed to dismiss both the batsmen in an over setting chaos in the hosts’ middle order.
Sri Lankan spinners dominated the middle phase of the innings as they continued to take wickets at regular intervals and restricted the hosts for 117 runs clinching a long-awaited 43-run win.
Wrist spinners Wanindu Hasaranga and Lakshan Sandakan picked up 3 wickets each while the speedster Dushmantha Chameera grabbed 2 wickets for the visitors.
With this win, Sri Lanka level the 3-match T20I series 1-1 and the third and the final T20I between the two sides will be held on 08th March (3.30 Am in Sri Lankan time) at the same grounds.
