Shamar Joseph and Jason Holder’s terrific spell of fast bowling helped West Indies draw first blood in the ongoing three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka. The hosts sealed the curtain raiser by seven wickets.
Electing to bat first at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica, Sri Lanka got off to a promising start as they added 43 runs for the opening wicket in 4.2 overs. But Holder dismissed Pathum Nissanka for 18 to trigger a batting collapse that sucked the life out of the Lankan innings.
Sri Lanka lost three more wickets after adding just 22 runs as Shamar Joseph also got into the wicket-taking act. Joseph got the big wicket of the Sri Lanka captain, Kusal Mendis. Mendis (36 off 23) looked in his groove, smashing two fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 156.52.
Kamindu Mendis and former captain Dasun Shanaka attempted a rescue act. They stitched a 59-run stand for the fifth wicket to ensure that the tourists do not lose any more wickets in the middle overs.
Once Shanaka fell to Roston Chase in the 16th over, it was always going to be extremely difficult for Sri Lanka to post a challenging total on the board. Mendis scored 51 off 39 balls, laced with four boundaries and two sixes at a strike rate of 130.76. Sri Lanka could only manage 147.
Both Holder and Joseph finished with three wickets apiece. Holder was adjudged the Player of the Match (POTM) for his spell of 3/18 at an economy rate of 4.50.
In reply, the hosts got off to a rollicking start as Brandon King and Shai Hope put their feet on the pedal and accelerated. The openers added 67 runs and foiled all the plans that the Lankan Lions had in store for them.
Hope played with aplomb and took the team over the line with a responsible fifty. He remained unbeaten on 65 off 54, including five fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 120.37 as Windies won with four balls to spare.
Wanindu Hasaranga (2/32) was the only Sri Lankan bowler who looked like making an impact as he accounted for King and Shimron Hetmyer.
