Sri Lanka Secures First T20I Win Over West Indies Since 2015
Sri Lanka won their first Twenty20 International match against the West Indies since 2015 thanks to fantastic performances by Chamari Athapaththu and Inoshi Priyadharshani.
The opening encounter of the three-match women’s T20I series was won thanks to the combined effort of the two players, who claimed seven wickets.
Match Summary:
- Sri Lanka: 137 for 6 (Gunaratne 35, Samarawickrama 35, Fletcher 2-29)
- West Indies: 134 for 8 (Matthews 30, Athapaththu 4-29, Priyadharshani 3-28)
Inoshi Priyadharshani’s sharp spell and Chamari Athapaththu’s career-best bowling effort combined to set up Sri Lanka’s first women’s Twenty20 international victory over the West Indies since 2015.
West Indies were limited to 134 for 8 thanks to a seven-wicket partnership between Athapaththu and Priyadharshani, the former of whom finished with 4 for 29. In response, Sri Lanka easily won the first game of the three-match series with four wickets and eight balls remaining.
In the third over, Hayley Matthews was able to catch Athapaththu early. Harshitha Samarawickrama and Vishmi Gunaratne, though, prevented Sri Lanka from sensing the nerve. They batted well, with Gunaratne leading the charge as they put together a 46-run partnership for the second wicket. In her 35-run knock, which also included a reverse sweep, she hit six fours.
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Gunaratne holed out to long-on to try and target legspinner Afy Fletcher, which gave the tourists a small window of opportunity. Then Samarawickrama took over, even though Karishma Ramharack had imprisoned Kavisha Dilhari in front. She scored 35 by using her feet to knock the spinners off their lines and lengths. However, after Aaliyah Alleyne cleaned her up, Sri Lanka lost 3 for 20, giving the West Indies, who had lost the ODI series 3-0, hope. The hosts were then defeated by the seasoned Nilakshika Silva, who continued her winning streak on 17.
Stafanie Taylor of the West Indies had an injury scare earlier after being called upon to bat. After the first wicket fell in the seventh over, when Athapaththu bowled Qiana Joseph, she was stretchered off after sustaining a leg injury while returning to her crease in the third over.
Under Priyadharshani’s leadership, the Sri Lankan spinners managed to contain the West Indies’ scoring throughout, with Matthews’ run-a-ball thirty being their highest score. In just 23 balls, Alleyne (26 off 22) and Fletcher (14 not out off 11) shared an impressive 33 runs, and the West Indies were able to score 35 runs off the final four overs to finish with a respectable total.
