West Indies produced a remarkable comeback to defeat Sri Lanka in the third and final T20I and seal the three-match series 2-1 at Sabina Park in Kingston.
Having won the toss, West Indies skipper Shai Hope once again opted to bowl first. Sri Lanka went into the decisive encounter unchanged from the side that featured in the second T20I.
Batting first, Sri Lanka posted a competitive total of 169 runs, thanks largely to a fighting innings from No. 7 batter Dunith Wellalage. The left-hander top-scored with 43 runs off just 28 deliveries, striking six fours and a six.
Several Sri Lankan batters got starts but failed to convert them into substantial scores. Kamil Mishara made 28, Pathum Nissanka scored 26, while Wanindu Hasaranga and Kamindu Mendis contributed 21 and 20 runs respectively.
For the hosts, fast bowler Shamar Joseph was the standout performer with the ball, producing a brilliant spell of 5 for 33 to keep Sri Lanka below the 170-run mark.
Sri Lanka then made an excellent start with the ball, reducing West Indies to 53 for 4 in 8.2 overs and putting themselves firmly in control of the contest.
However, an 81-run partnership between Rovman Powell and Sherfane Rutherford completely changed the complexion of the game. The pair steadied the innings and shifted the momentum back towards the hosts.
Despite the recovery, Sri Lanka still had an opportunity to close out the game, with West Indies requiring 36 runs from the final three overs. However, poor execution at the death allowed the hosts to snatch victory from the visitors.
Sherfane Rutherford played the decisive knock, scoring 54 off 40 deliveries to guide West Indies home. For Sri Lanka, Wanindu Hasaranga was the pick of the bowlers, returning impressive figures of 2 for 17 from his four overs.
Sri Lanka’s fielding also proved costly as they dropped two catches offered by Rutherford, who made the most of the reprieves and went on to steer his side to victory.
Sri Lanka’s pace spearhead Dushmantha Chameera endured a difficult outing, conceding 64 runs from his four overs, including a decisive 23-run final over of his spell that tilted the game in West Indies’ favour.
With the white-ball leg of the tour now concluded, attention shifts to the longest format of the game. Sri Lanka and West Indies will next face off in a two-match Test series, which gets underway on 25th June.
Before the Test series begins, Sri Lanka will take on a West Indies Select XI in a four-day warm-up match from 18th to 21st June.
Cricket fans can catch all the action from Sri Lanka’s tour of the West Indies LIVE on ThePapare 1 & 1 HD (Dialog TV Channels 62 & 126).
Result
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pathum Nissanka | c Roston Chase b Shamar Joseph | 26 | 17 | 2 | 2 | 152.94 |
| Kusal Mendis | c & b Matthew Forde | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Kamil Mishara | lbw b Roston Chase | 28 | 23 | 3 | 1 | 121.74 |
| Pavan Rathnayake | lbw b Shamar Joseph | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Kamindu Mendis | c Rovman Powell b Akeal Hosein | 20 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 133.33 |
| Dasun Shanaka | b Jason Holder | 16 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 123.08 |
| Dunith Wellalage | c Matthew Forde b Shamar Joseph | 43 | 28 | 6 | 1 | 153.57 |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | run out (Sherfane Rutherford) | 21 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 161.54 |
| Maheesh Theekshana | b Shamar Joseph | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Dushmantha Chameera | c Brandon King b Shamar Joseph | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Eshan Malinga | not out | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00 |
| Extras | 5 (b 0 , lb 1 , nb 1, w 3, pen 0) |
| Total | 169/10 (20 Overs, RR: 8.45) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akeal Hosein | 4 | 0 | 31 | 1 | 7.75 | |
| Matthew Forde | 4 | 0 | 39 | 1 | 9.75 | |
| Jason Holder | 4 | 0 | 33 | 1 | 8.25 | |
| Shamar Joseph | 4 | 0 | 33 | 5 | 8.25 | |
| Roston Chase | 4 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 8.00 | |
| Batsmen | R | B | 4s | 6s | SR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brandon King | b Wanindu Hasaranga | 16 | 20 | 0 | 1 | 80.00 |
| Shai Hope | b Dunith Wellalage | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Shimron Hetmyer | c Dushmantha Chameera b Wanindu Hasaranga | 32 | 19 | 3 | 2 | 168.42 |
| Ackeem Auguste | b Maheesh Theekshana | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14.29 |
| Rovman Powell | c Wanindu Hasaranga b Dushmantha Chameera | 33 | 27 | 1 | 3 | 122.22 |
| Sherfane Rutherford | not out | 54 | 40 | 3 | 4 | 135.00 |
| Jason Holder | not out | 21 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 420.00 |
| Extras | 13 (b 0 , lb 4 , nb 1, w 8, pen 0) |
| Total | 170/5 (19.4 Overs, RR: 8.64) |
| Bowling | O | M | R | W | Econ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dunith Wellalage | 3 | 0 | 23 | 1 | 7.67 | |
| Dushmantha Chameera | 4 | 0 | 64 | 1 | 16.00 | |
| Eshan Malinga | 4 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 7.50 | |
| Maheesh Theekshana | 4 | 1 | 26 | 1 | 6.50 | |
| Wanindu Hasaranga | 4 | 0 | 17 | 2 | 4.25 | |
| Dasun Shanaka | 0.4 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 15.00 | |
