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Spinners lead Sri Lanka to series-levelling win over Windies
ST. JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda, March 6, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Sri Lanka’s
spinners bamboozled world champions West Indies to claim a 43-run win in the
second Twenty20 International at Coolidge Cricket Ground on Friday.
Having lost by four wickets in the opening game on Wednesday, in a game
where West Indies skipper Kieron Pollard launched six sixes in an over, the
tourists successfully defended 160 on Friday to level the three-match series.
West Indies were all out for 117 in the 19th over as Sri Lanka ended an
eight-game losing streak in T20.
The final match is at the same venue on Sunday.
Leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga finished with 3-17, off-break bowler Akila
Dananjaya, who was the victim of Pollard’s midweek assault but also claimed a
hat-rick, had 1-13.
Wrist spinner Lakshan Sandakan took 3-10, including Pollard who made just
13.
West Indies were 45-1 before five wickets fell for just 21 runs.
Chris Gayle, who was out for a first ball duck on Wednesday in his first
appearance in two years, made a patchy 16 when he fell to a catch by Ashen
Bandara off Hasaranga.
Opener Lendl Simmons (21) was next out, lbw failing to pick a Hasaranga
googly.
Nicholas Pooran, Jason Holder and Dwayne Bravo all followed quickly for
single figure scores.
Dananjaya had earlier dismissed opener Evin Lewis for six. His impressive
figures of 1-13 were in stark contrast to his 3-62 on Wednesday.
Hasaranga, just 23, added Fabian Allan to his list of victims with the West
Indies then struggling on 89-7 in the 16th over.
With more than 22 an over required, Sandakan then got the big prize of
Pollard, caught in the deep for just 13 having surprisingly opted to bat at
number seven.
Sandakan then halted Obed McCoy’s late cameo of 23 from seven deliveries
with the tail-ender proving to be his team’s top scorer.
Earlier, veteran all-rounder Bravo slammed the brakes on Sri Lanka with two
wickets and a run-out.
Sri Lanka got off to a flying start after winning the toss and deciding to
bat.
Openers Danusha Gunathilaka and Pathum Nissanka put on a blistering 94 off
the first 10 overs.
But then 37-year-old Bravo was called into action and he responded by
running out Nissanka for 37.
Gunathilaka followed just four balls later in the 11th over, caught by
Kevin Sinclair off Bravo at mid-off.
The Sri Lankan opener went for a top score of 56 which featured four
boundaries and two sixes.
Bravo also claimed the third wicket to fall when Simmons caught the
experienced Dinesh Chandimal for just three.
The runs then dried up for Sri Lanka.
Having hit eight fours and three sixes in the first 10 overs, they managed
just three more fours and one six in the second half of the innings.
That included an eight-over stretch where the ball never crossed the
boundary ropes.
BSS/AFP/SSS/0913 hrs