Sri Lanka won the third and final T20I by nine wickets, beating West Indies in the three-match series at Dambulla. This victory ensured that the hosts won 2-1 and signed off well in all aspects. The Lankan side, playing at a chase of 163, did not break much sweat as they achieved 166/1 in just 18 overs. The stars of the show were Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera.
Sri Lanka’s chase of 163 began strongly with Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis leading from the front. Nissanka was the Player of the Series for his consistency, and he set the tone here with a blistering 39 off 22 balls, studded with 7 boundaries and a six as Sri Lankans took control of the game quite early in the match. With his removal in the 6th over by Gudakesh Motie, Sri Lanka never lost their momentum. Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera continued the assurance of victory as the hosts never looked back and grabbed the series against West Indies.
Sri Lanka defeat West Indies to seal the series 2-1
Kusal Mendis played the anchor role in the Sri Lankan innings with an excellent knock of 68* off 50 balls, laced with 5 fours and 3 sixes. He was composed in his innings as Sri Lanka stayed on course throughout the chase. Kusal Perera also played an important role, smashing 55* off 36 balls. An unbeaten partnership of 106 runs between the pair guided Sri Lanka to a commanding win, sealing the series 2-1.
Earlier in the match, West Indies had put up a tricky target of 162/8 after being put into bat. Brandon King 23, and Shai Hope 18 gave the visiting team a decent start before they failed to stitch important partnerships. Captain Rovman Powell played an important cameo, stroking 37 off 27 balls while Gudakesh Motie’s quickfire 32 off 15 provided the much-needed push at the latter end of the total.
However, the bowlers from Sri Lanka also managed to keep the West Indies in check during the innings. Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga were the picks of the bowlers, each claiming two wickets as they barred the visitors from posting a more formidable total.
They easily won the series due to all-round performance, disciplined bowling, and powerful batting. The victory also means an important milestone as Sri Lanka win the T20I series against West Indies to showcase their growing strength in the shortest format.
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