Brandon King and Evin Lewis Lead West Indies to Stunning Win Against Sri Lanka In Their 1st T20I Match .

SRI LANKA VS WEST INDIES,1ST T20I, DAMBULLA : Brandon King and Evin Lewis Lead West Indies to Stunning Win Against Sri Lanka In Their 1st T20I Match .

Sri Lanka won the first T20I by 5 wickets over West Indies in Dambulla. TOP STARS: Brandon King (63) and Evin Lewis (50) shared a memorable 107-run opening stand in chase of 179. The hosts, led by Kamindu Mendis and Charith Asalanka scoring rapid-fire fifties fell  not enough  for  the target. Brandon King and Evin Lewis Lead West Indies to Stunning Win Against Sri Lanka In Their 1st T20I Match .

TOSS-

West Indies won the toss and opts to bowl.

TEAMS LINE UP-

SRI LANKA SQUAD-

Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka (c), Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Wanindu Hasaranga, Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Asitha Fernando

 

WEST INDIES SQUAD-

Evin Lewis, Brandon King, Shai Hope (wk), Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Rovman Powell (c), Sherfane RutherfordShamar SpringerAlzarri Joseph Gudakesh Motie Shamar Joseph

SRI LANKA-

Opting to bat, Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis got off to a cautious start with only 11 runs coming of the first two overs. Nissanka broke the shackles in the third over with consecutive boundaries off Romario Shepherd. However, he was unable to get away with it when the next ball outside off-stump resulted in a thin edge but just departed. Although he began the over with a boundary, Kusal Perera was soon bowled by Shamar Joseph.

It brought the man in form Kamindu Mendis to crease and he jumped on his toes with a pull for four. Kusal hit a four and six off Alzarri Joseph while Kamindu struck consecutive boundaries in the next over as Lanka reached 54 for two at PowerPlay. A quiet over from Roston Chase was followed by a wicket in the next, when Kusal attempted to cut off Gudakesh Motie and dragged it onto his stumps.

Incoming was Charith Asalanka who together with Kamindu as a result, took the fight to West Indies after three boundaries were struck by the former in that 12th over. Kamindu continued with a fine campaign by making his second T20I half century. However, the batter lose to pull soon falling caught at cow corner. He then smoked two more boundaries in that over to reach his 50 too. However, he departed by skying one to deep-midwicket. Bhanuka Rajapaksa’s cameo (17 off 10) lifted Sri Lanka to a respectable total of 179 for the loss seven wickets.

WEST INDIES-

The chase started in an ominous fashion for the West Indies. Chamindu Wickramasinghe was also smoked over mid-on by Evin Lewis for a six and then cleared extra cover to allow the cleanup at 79 for two. The other end King was looking belligerence as he slammed three fours off Asitha Fernando. They raised fifty for the opening stand in 4.4 overs and West Indies sped past 74 for no loss at end of sixth over thanks to an expensive one by Carden where he was hit three times out of park. And King brought up his half-century with a six and then four off Pathirana In the next over his partner came along for the ride, with Kusal Perera taking two steepling sixes off Hasaranga. The left-hander eventually fell for a low catch at backward point in the very next over.

Sri Lanka, however, fought back with quick wickets of Shai Hope and King in the space of two overs. Chase and Rovman Powell, the new batsmen could not capitalize on this quick start as both got out cheaply which began to affect their run-rate. West Indies got two boundaries in a crucial 16th over which yielded just 12 runs. He will be caught in the deep and his rusty innings came to an end. Chase nicked one behind from Pathirana for 8 runs. That left West Indies needing 13 off the last two overs and they ran their twos hard, with one boundary eventually (off a high full toss -sir) by Sherfane Rutherford, finishing it in four balls.

Brief Scores:

West Indies 180 for 5 (King 63, Lewis50; Pathirana2-27) beat Sri Lanka179(IDK Asalanka59,Mendis51;Shepherd2-39,Motie1-16) by five wickets.