Sri Lanka is on the rise, and while most of their recent victories have been at home, they’ve previously struggled even there. This series win will undoubtedly boost their confidence. With momentum on their side, Sri Lanka is playing a dynamic and exciting brand of cricket, which is great for the international scene. Meanwhile, the West Indies, despite winning the first game, lost the series. Their spinners were outplayed by Hasaranga and company, which likely made the biggest difference. However, there’s plenty to learn for the young West Indian side. That’s it for this series, but we’ll be back with more action soon!
Charith Asalanka: The top-order batted really well, which led to the team’s overall strong performance. This applies to both the India series and this one. We needed momentum, and we got it in the second game. I wasn’t too worried because our top-order executed the plan perfectly. Nissanka and Mendis worked well together, and I’m thrilled with the series win. A big thanks to all our Sri Lankan cricket fans.
Rovman Powell: Honestly, 160 on a turning pitch was a good total. If we’d controlled the powerplay better, we could have made a comeback. But Sri Lanka’s spinners outbowled ours. Still, there are positives. Our team put in great effort in these conditions, and the batters did well. Thanks to the people of Sri Lanka for their warm hospitality.
Pathum Nissanka | Player of the Series: He went in with a clear plan. The powerplays were crucial, and he emphasized the importance of keeping a clear mind when playing across formats (translated from Sinhalese by Roshan Abeysinghe).
Kusal Mendis | Player of the Match: I played well, and Nissanka did great in the first six overs, allowing me to plan my approach. It was a slow wicket, but I knew how to handle these conditions. In the first six overs, we aimed to play normal cricket, but it was challenging against the spinners.
Sri Lanka’s openers had a game plan and executed it flawlessly. Nissanka was aggressive early on, and Mendis followed suit. Both Mendis and Perera scored fifties, ensuring the game never slipped out of Sri Lanka’s control. Although the West Indies set a competitive total, powered by Powell and Motie’s cameos, the Lankan batters chased it down with ease, showing impressive composure. The pitch, which seemed slow at first, appeared more favorable when Sri Lanka batted. This victory is a significant achievement for the young Lankan side, marking their first-ever T20I series win over the West Indies. Sanath Jayasuriya, originally brought in as an interim coach, appears set to stay, which is great news for the team that has looked cohesive and solid in their home conditions.
22:13 Local Time, 16:43 GMT, 22:13 IST: Sri Lanka, once considered underdogs, have emerged victorious. Despite being labeled as dark horses after their first loss, they’ve shown they know how to fight back. The same resilience was seen in their recent series against India and England, and they even swept the Kiwis in Tests at home. 2024 seems to be a turning point for Sri Lankan cricket, with this being their fifth home series win in T20Is. The West Indies fought hard with the bat, but their bowling fell short as Nissanka and Mendis took control during the powerplay. Once Sri Lanka posted 60 runs in the powerplay, the rest of the chase became straightforward.
Match Summary:
- SL 166-1
- Kusal Perera: 55*(36)
- Kusal Mendis: 68*(50)
- Alzarri Joseph: 3-0-38-0
17.6: Alzarri Joseph to Kusal Perera, FOUR! Lanka wins, and Dambulla erupts! A short delivery is pulled past short fine for a boundary. Perera and Mendis deserve immense credit for this victory. Lanka takes the series 2-1.
17.5: Alzarri Joseph to Kusal Mendis, 1 run, scores are tied! Fuller length delivery clipped down to long-on.
17.4: Joseph bowls a corker outside off, and Mendis misses. Wide ball called.
17.2: Alzarri Joseph to Kusal Perera, FOUR! Perera brings up his fifty off 34 balls with a well-placed shot on the pads.
This win is a major boost for Sri Lanka’s young squad, with the series marking a historic first-ever T20I series victory against the West Indies.
