Kusal Mendis hit an unbeaten 68 to assist clinch Sri Lanka’s first T20 worldwide sequence win over the West Indies with a thumping nine-wicket victory within the third and closing recreation on Thursday.
Sri Lanka chased down its 163-run goal with 12 balls to spare as a sell-out house crowd in Dambulla erupted.
“Joyful to get the workforce over the road. Not the simplest pitch to bat on, however these are circumstances that we’re used to taking part in,” mentioned Mendis who hit 5 fours and three sixes.
West Indies had an opportunity to dismiss Mendis when he was on 44, however Roston Chase couldn’t maintain on to a tricky return catch.
Mendis and fellow opener Pathum Nissanka placed on 60 runs in simply 5.2 overs.
Nissanka, in chic kind, contributed 39 from 22 deliveries, together with seven fours and a six, earlier than a low supply from Gudakesh Motie ended his keep.
Mendis continued his composed knock, driving the spinners effortlessly via the covers and pulling the seamers with authority.
He was joined by Kusal Perera, whose unbeaten 55 off 36 balls showcased his resilience as he battled cramps to succeed in his fifteenth T20I half-century.
Collectively, Mendis and Perera stitched an unbroken 106-run partnership, steering Sri Lanka to a landmark victory over the higher-ranked vacationer.
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The West Indies opted to bat and rallied from a shaky begin that left it 68-5 with a 54-run standoff of 26 balls between skipper Rovman Powell and Motie.
Motie blasted Dunith Wellalage for 3 consecutive sixes and a 4 within the fifteenth over, later departing when Mendis stumped him off Wanindu Hasaranga.
Sri Lanka leaned closely on its spin arsenal with Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga claiming two wickets every.
“I believed we had sufficient runs on the board. Sri Lankan spinners utterly outplayed us. We knew spin was going to play a key position and Sri Lanka had been much better,” Powell mentioned.
The West Indies gained the sequence opener by 5 wickets and Sri Lanka bounced again with a commanding 73-run victory within the second recreation.
This sequence win crowns a robust three months for Sri Lanka underneath new head coach Sanath Jayasuriya.
The workforce broke a 27-year drought by profitable an ODI sequence towards India in July then gained a Take a look at in England for the primary time in a decade.
Earlier this month it swept a two-Take a look at sequence at house towards New Zealand — its first sequence win over the Kiwis in 15 years.