PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – An unfamiliar batting collapse undermined West Indies Women and sent them plunging to a 14-run loss against Sri Lanka Women in the fourth Twenty20 International here Monday night.
Chasing a moderate 95 for victory at Queen’s Park, West Indies were cruising at 52 for one in the 13th over but lost eight wickets for 28 runs in 47 balls, to stumble to 80 for nine from their allotted 20 overs.
Madhuri Samuddika (3-11) and Chamani Seneverathne (2-10) inspired the collapse.
The win was Sri Lanka’s first of the series which West Indies lead 3-1, with the final game scheduled for the same venue on Wednesday.
Opting to bat first, Sri Lanka were propelled by opener Yashoda Mendis who top-scored with 21 while captain Dilani Manodara and Sripali Weerakkoddy chipped in with 14 runs each.
Teenaged seamer Shemaine Campbelle was her side’s best bowler with two for 15.
Mendis, who faced 31 balls and hit two fours, anchored her side’s most productive stand – 34 for the second wicket with Deepika Rasangika who got 13.
Once Mendis was run out, attempting an ill-advised second run to long-off, the innings went into decline with the next six wickets falling for 11 runs in the space of 18 balls.
Sri Lanka required the enterprise of Manodara and Weerakkoddy in a 32-run, unbroken ninth wicket stand to get up to their eventual score.
Opener Juliana Nero then set West Indies on their way by underpinning two good partnerships at the top of the order.
The veteran right-hander, who stroked a top score of 32 from 42 balls with four fours, put on 25 for the first wicket with 19-year-old Amanda Samaroo (9) before adding a further 27 for the second wicket with Campbelle (8).
Both Samaroo and Campbelle perished via the run out route and when missed a big swing at Samuddika and was stumped in the 15th over, the pressure mounted and proved too much for the hosts.