Sri Lanka secure maiden T20I series win over WI

Sri Lanka Women capped off their first-ever T20I series victory against West Indies with a commanding nine-wicket win in Grenada on Tuesday (March 3). One-nil down, the hosts had a chance to level the series at best, after the first game was washed out, but suffered from yet another underwhelming batting display.

Batting first for the third time in the series, West Indies paired Hayley Matthews with 17-year-old debutant Eboni Brathwaite, but the opening partnership did not last long. Matthews was the first to depart, lobbing a catch back to Sugandika Kumari off just her second delivery. Soon after, Shawnisha Hector was cleaned up by Inoka Ranaweera: two down, West Indies still seemed to have a decent tempo going, collecting 28 off the first four overs.

Brathwaite, who had earlier pierced the off side for her first boundary, holed out to cover at the start of the fourth over, pushing West Indies further into trouble.

Just like she had earlier in the series, Malki Madara - the joint-leading wicket-taker - relied on pace-off variations but wasn't as effective. It was the spin combination of Inoka Ranaweera and Kavisha Dilhari that really tied them up in the middle overs. Placed at 42/3 at the end of the Powerplay, they only added 34 runs over the next ten overs.

Deandra Dottin and Stafanie Taylor were content with securing the innings and arresting further damage but left little time for the run-rate to recover. Dottin was out lbw in the 16th over, trying to sweep away Ranaweera but misreading the line. Next over, Taylor perished as well, attempting to take on Kavisha, but failing to go past long-off. The scoreboard pressure had had its effect.

If it wasn't for Chinelle Henry's late charge, West Indies would have struggled to cross 100. She thumped Sugandika for a six over mid wicket, muscled a four behind square, and then cut one past point to find the ropes again. A stunning reverse-sweep for six by Jahzara Claxton finished the over, giving them 21 runs, and infusing life into an otherwise meek innings.

Henry began the 20th over by clubbing a full-toss from Athapaththu over mid wicket, and muscled another four on the leg-side, finishing on 32 off 15. The last two overs accounted for 36 runs, roughly 30 percent of the team total.

The chase was led by Chamari Athapaththu, who got a reprieve in the first over itself, when Hector dropped a difficult chance at mid-on. She left little to chance thereafter, punishing some wayward lines by the seamers in the Powerplay, and using her feet well against spin. They raced to 48 in the Powerplay, 32 off which came off Athapaththu's bat.

Her innings was cut short by a brilliant diving catch by Chinelle Henry at deep backward square.vHasini Perera took on the charge thereafter: a majestic six off Ramharack in the 10th over particularly stood out, using her feet and effortlessly clearing long-off.

There was turn on the surface, but West Indies spinners couldn't mount much pressure with the required run-rate never really being a concern. It gave time for Imesha Dulani to settle in, even as Hasini continued to counter the spinners, shrewdly picking gaps in the outfield.

A slice of luck came Hasini's way in the 13th over, when she was dropped by substitute Shemaine Campbell, having failed to control a wild sweep. Once settled in, Imesha shifted gears as they passed the 15th over mark. Hasini cruised to her second WT20I fifty, watching on as Dulani did the bulk of the scoring towards the end. The chase was complete with 14 balls to spare.

It was Sri Lanka's first bilateral series win against West Indies in seven attempts. Perera was adjudged the Player of the Match, while Athapaththu bagged the Player of the Series award.

Brief scores:West Indies 119/5 in 20 overs (Chinelle Henry 32*, Deandra Dottin 28, Inoka Ranaweera 2-16, Sugandika Kumari 2-32) lost to Sri Lanka 121/1 in 17.4 overs (Hasini Perera 52*, Imesha Dulani 34*, Afy Fletcher 1-14) by nine wickets.