King, Lewis 50s lead West Indies to five-wicket win over Sri Lanka

DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka (CMC):

OPENERS BRANDON King and Evin Lewis produced a masterful display of power hitting to set up West Indies’ five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the opening T20 yesterday at the Dambulla International Stadium.

After losing the toss and being sent in to bat, Sri Lanka’s captain, Charith Asalankaand, Kamindu Mendis both scored half-centuries as the home side posted a formidable 179 for seven in their 20 overs.

However, player-of-the-match King and Lewis bludgeoned Sri Lanka’s bowlers around the park in a 107-run stand that paved the way for the visitors to reach 180 for five in 19.1 overs.

Needing to score at nine runs per over, King and Lewis never fell below that rate during their partnership that spanned 10 overs.

Lewis hit fast bowler Chamindu Wickramasinghe for a six and a four with the last two balls of the first over, and King maintained that momentum by thumping fast bowler Asitha Fernando for three boundaries in the next over.

King took a liking to Fernando, hitting him for two more fours in his second over, and fourth of the innings, to help the Windies up to 45 without loss after four overs.

Spinner Maheesh Theekshana was clobbered for a six and two fours in the sixth over as West Indies recorded the highest Power Play total at the ground, 74 without loss.

King romped to his half-century off 25 balls in the ninth over by thumping Matheesha Pathirana over midwicket for six and then through mid-off for four.

Lewis brought up his 50 off 27 balls in the next over by sending leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga over long off and midwicket for two towering sixes as the Windies sped to 107 without loss after nine overs.

Pathirana got the breakthrough for Sri Lanka when he had Lewis caught at short thirdman by Wickramasinghe for an even 50. In all, he struck four sixes and five fours and faced 28 balls.

His dismissal sparked a mini collapse, with Shai Hope scoring just seven before giving Hasaranga a simple return catch and King falling for 63 from 33 balls, inclusive of 11 boundaries and one six, when his offside heave off Kamindu Mendis ballooned into the onside for Kusal Perera to take an easy catch as West Indies slid to 128 for three in the 12th over.

Skipper Rovman Powell and Roston Chase added 32 runs for the fourth wicket before Powell picked out the long on fielder after scoring 13.

When Chase edged Pathirana behind to be out for 19, thirteen runs were required from 13 balls.

However, Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd batted responsibly to get the Windies within sight of their target, the former duly ending the match by slicing Pathirana over midoff for four off the first ball of the final over.

Earlier, Sri Lanka were rescued by Asalanka and Kamindu Mendis after they had slumped to 58 for three in the eighth over.

Shepherd dismissed Pathum Nissanka for 11, Shamar Joseph bowled Kusal Perera for six, and Kusal Mendis made 19 before he was clean bowled by Gudakesh Motie.

But Asalanka and Kamindu Mendis came together in an 82-run partnership for the fourth wicket to swing the match in the home side’s favour.

It took debutant Shamar Springer to break the stand when he had Mendis caught at deep backward square by Chase for 51 off 40 balls.

Asalanka made the top score of 59, but just as he was looking to accelerate, he was brilliantly caught at long on by Lewis off the bowling of Alzarri Joseph to leave the score 163 for five.

Sri Lanka then lost three wickets for 12, including two in the final over, to prevent them from having a big finish to their innings.