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Previously, Danushka Gunathilaka and Pathum Nissanka helped visitors set up a competitive total
Sri Lanka 160 beats (Gunathilaka 56, Nissanka 37, Bravo 2-25) West Indies 117 (McCoy 23, Sandakan 3-10, Hasaranga 3-17) by 43 points
The Sri Lankan spinners picked up a convincing 43-innings victory over the West Indies in Antigua to keep the three-game streak alive and end an eight-game losing streak in T20I.
On a soft surface, Akila Dananjaya, Wanindu Hasaranga and Lakshan Sandakan proved to be a handful – picking up seven wickets between them, the last two taking three wickets apiece – as Sri Lanka defended their total of 160 with ease. Such was the control exercised by the Sri Lankan spinners, even part-time offspinner Danushka Gunathilaka took action, picking up the wicket from Jason Holder.
In fact, 68 of the 117 lanes the hosts eventually racked up came from Sri Lanka’s two fast bowlers, Dushmantha Chameera and Thisara Perera; 41 of them were caught in Perera’s only two overs.
But while the final margin of victory suggested complete dominance from the visitors, halfway through they would have felt 15-20 points short given the start they had.
Gunathilaka, in particular, was in very good shape, continuing the form that saw him top the Lanka Premier League charts a few months ago. His 56 races resulted in 42 deliveries and included four fours and two sixes, but it was the control he exercised throughout that was most impressive, rarely needing to take risks to rack up his runs. .
Alongside him, Pathum Nissanka – one of the few bright sparks for visitors to the first T20I – spun the scoreboard as the duo put 56 on the power play and 94 in the top ten overs. But the middle order once again failed to produce anything substantial as the next ten overs produced just 66 runs. Indeed, it was only a late 11-ball 19 from player of the match Hasaranga that saw Sri Lanka manage even the score they did – a score that ultimately proved sufficient.
Full report to follow
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