Sri Lanka vs West Indies 2024/25, SL vs WI 1st T20I Match Report, October 13, 2024

Sri Lanka vs West Indies 2024/25, SL vs WI 1st T20I Match Report, October 13, 2024

West Indies 180 for five (King 63, Lewis 50, Pathirana 2-27) beat Sri Lanka 179 for 7 (Asalanka 59, Kamindu 51, Shepherd 2-39) by 5 wickets

Brandon King and Evin Lewis crashed 107 off 55 balls on the high of the order, to set West Indies superbly on track to their goal of 180, within the first T20I towards Sri Lanka. Though the hosts’ middle-overs bowlers slowed West Indies’ progress, they had been by no means in deep trouble.

They’d loads of batting to see the chase via, and Sherfane Rutherford completed it off with a 4 off the primary ball of the ultimate over.

Shamar Joseph was probably the most economical of West Indies’ bowlers, conceding solely 27 from his 4 overs. Although King and Lewis later outshone them, Sri Lanka had two half-centurions too, in Kamindu Mendis and Charith Asalanka, whose 82-run stand was probably the most substantial of the innings.

King, Lewis blast the powerplay

Lewis struck the primary boundaries, launching Chamindu Wickramasinghe for a six and 4 on the finish of the primary over, but it surely was King who made the best impression whereas the fielding restrictions had been in play. King’s normal transfer was to run on the bowlers and blast them down the bottom. So good was his hand-eye coordination, that he did it twice towards seamer Asitha Fernando within the second over, earlier than taking goal on the spin of Maheesh Theekshana within the third over.

By the top of the powerplay, King had eight fours (a few of them edged, to be truthful), and 39 runs off 20 balls. Lewis, who had blasted boundaries off Wickramasinghe virtually solely, had 31 off 16 balls. And West Indies had 74 off the primary six.

They stored swinging, and by the top, Lewis made 50 off 28, and King 63 off 33. The requirement was pretty easy after their onslaught.

In contrast, Sri Lanka’s high order had didn’t prosper on a useful floor, thanks partly to sharp bowling from West Indies’ quicks. Romario Shepherd caught the sting of Pathum Nissanka’s bat 3 times, conceded fours behind the wicket after which had him caught by the keeper on the third event, to make West Indies’ first breakthrough. Kusal Perera was then bowled by Shamar Joseph early within the following over.

When Kusal Mendis was additionally bowled by a superb faster supply from Gudakesh Motie, leaving Sri Lanka at 58 for 3, it felt as if West Indies had been about to carve open the sport.

Kamindu could also be good at cricket

However then maybe it is time to admit that Kamindu seems to know what he’s doing on a cricket area. Having just lately turn into the quickest batter since 1950 to 1000 Check runs, he produced 50 off 41 right here within the shortest format, outdone in his workforce solely by Asalanka who clubbed 59 off 35, Kamindu would additionally bowl two overs for 14, switching arms when crucial. He took the wicket of the opposition’s high scorer, King, along with his left-arm spin, and picked up figures of 1 for 14.