WI Women beat Sri Lanka, level T20 series 1-1

HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka: West Indies Women drew level 1-1 in their Twenty20 International series against Sri Lanka on Wednesday after their three most capped players, led by Afy Fletcher, spurred them to a six-wicket win under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) Method in a rain-affected match on Wednesday.

The Caribbean side reached a DLS revised target of 99 from 15 overs after a couple stoppages for rain at the Rajapaksa Stadium when their captain Hayley Matthews led the way with 29 and former captain Stafanie Taylor ushered them to their first win on the trip with 28 not out.

This followed a destructive spell from Fletcher of four for 23 from 3.2 overs that had the Sri Lankans reeling on 89 for four in 15.2 overs when rain brought an abrupt end to the innings and time considerations came into play.

Matthews then helped give the innings a solid base in an opening stand of 44 with Taylor before left-arm spinner Sachini Nisansala bowled her in the seventh over.

The chase of quick runs also conceded the cheap wickets of vice-captain Shemaine Campbelle, left-hander Qiana Joseph and long-standing Chedean Nation before Taylor and Aaliyah Alleyne waltzed the visitors over the finish line.

Earlier, Fletcher ended a thriving first wicket stand between Sri Lanka Women’s captain Chamari Athapaththu and fellow opener Vishmi Gunaratne.

The Grenadian leg-spinner bowled Athapaththu for the top score of 26 in the eighth over and Imesha Dulani for six in the 10th over, and Sri Lanka were wobbling on 52 for two.

Fletcher then struck twice in the 14th over when she got Harshitha Samarawickrama for 14 and Gunaratne for 24 in the span of three balls in the 14th over to keep a lid on the scoring before the rain intervened.

West Indies Women lost the first T20I by four wickets on Monday at the same venue, where the final T20I will be played on Friday. CMC

SCOREBOARD

SRI LANKA WOMEN

V. Gunaratne lbw b Fletcher 24

C. Athapaththu b Fletcher 26

I. Dulani b Fletcher 6

H. Samarawickrama c Alleyne b Fletcher 14

H. Perera not out 3

K. Dilhari not out 14

Extras (w2) 2

TOTAL (4 wkts, 15.2 overs) 89

†K. Nuthyangana, S. Nisansala, A. Kanchana, I. Priyadharshani, K. Kavindi did not bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-44 (Athapaththu, 7.5 overs); 2-52 (Dulani, 9.1); 3-72 (Samarawickrama, 13.2); 4-73 (Gunaratne, 13.4).

Bowling: Henry 1-0-4-0; Connell 2-0-16-0 (w1); Matthews 3-0-17-0; Alleyne 2-0-5-0 (w1); Ramharack 4-0-24-0; Fletcher 3.2-0-23-4.

WEST INDIES WOMEN

H. Matthews b Nisansala 29

S. Taylor not out 28

†S. Campbelle c Kavindi b Athapaththu 16

Q. Joseph c Kanchana b Dilhari 6

C. Nation run out 1

A. Alleyne not out 15

Extras (w4) 4

TOTAL (4 wkts, 14.1 overs) 99

C. Henry, A. Fletcher, C. Fraser, K. Ramharack, S. Connell did not bat.

Fall of wickets: 1-44 (Matthews, 6.5 overs); 2-68 (Campbelle, 9.5); 3-78 (Joseph, 11.4); 4-84 (Nation, 12.5).

Bowling: Priyadharshani 3-0-17-0; Kavindi 1-0-8-0; Athapaththu 2.1-0-18-1; Kanchana 2-0-13-0; Dilhari 3-0-25-1; Nisansala 3-0-18-1.

Result: West Indies Women won by six wickets (DLS Method, 5 balls remaining).

Series: Three-match series level 1-1.

Toss: West Indies Women.

Umpires: N. Perera, L. Agenbag (South Africa).

TV umpire: R. Wimalasiri.

Match referee: M. Pereira.

Reserve umpire: D. Silva.