A blistering opening partnership between Brandon King and Evin Lewis propelled the West Indies to a comfortable five-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the first T20I at Dambulla. King (63 off 33) and Lewis (50 off 28) set the tone with an explosive 107-run stand from just 55 balls, ensuring their team had more than enough firepower to chase down Sri Lanka’s total of 179/7 with an over to spare.
West Indies: 180 for 5 (King 63, Lewis 50, Pathirana 2-27)
Sri Lanka: 179 for 7 (Asalanka 59, Kamindu 51, Shepherd 2-39)
West Indies beat Sri Lanka by five wickets
Sri Lanka’s Inconsistent Batting Struggles
Sri Lanka’s batting faltered after a promising stand between Charith Asalanka (59 off 35) and Kamindu Mendis (51 off 40) produced 82 runs. Despite their efforts, West Indies’ bowlers, led by Romario Shepherd (2/39) and Shamar Joseph (1/27), managed to strike regularly, stifling Sri Lanka’s progress. Early breakthroughs by Shepherd and Joseph, combined with Gudakesh Motie’s precision, reduced Sri Lanka to 58/3, leaving their middle order with a tough task.
Mendis and Asalanka fought valiantly, but Sri Lanka’s scoring rate slowed significantly during the middle overs, and the West Indies bowlers kept the pressure on, preventing a significant late-game flourish.
King and Lewis’ Power Play Dominance
After Sri Lanka posted a competitive 179/7, West Indies came out with their usual aggressive intent. The dynamic opening pair of King and Lewis wasted no time, as they punished Sri Lanka’s bowlers during the powerplay. King was particularly dominant, using his aggressive running and precise ball-striking to accumulate a rapid 39 off 20 balls by the end of the powerplay, including eight boundaries. Lewis supported him with 31 off 16 balls, keeping the scoreboard ticking.
Both batsmen continued to find the ropes with ease, and by the time King reached 50, West Indies were firmly in control. They had raced to 74/0 at the end of the powerplay and were well on their way to their target.
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Sri Lanka Fight Back, But West Indies Stay in Control
Although Sri Lanka’s bowlers managed to slow West Indies’ scoring slightly in the middle overs, they never truly threatened to derail the chase. Kamindu Mendis did manage to remove King with his left-arm spin, but the damage was done, and the required rate remained well within reach for the West Indies.
Sherfane Rutherford (14 off 12) sealed the win for the visitors, striking a four off the first ball of the final over to finish off the chase in style.
