COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, CMC – Sri Lanka pulled off a dramatic 4 wicket win over West Indies in the last over of their fourth T20 international at the R Premadasa Stadium here yesterday.
Chamani Rasangika scored two runs off Shanel Daley with just three balls remaining to seal a cliff hanger which could have gone either way.
Sri Lanka staggered through to 102 for 6 after severely restricting West Indies and removing all their batsmen for just 101.
West Indies were in early trouble as their batting struggled to recover from the loss of their openers after Deandra Dottin and Natasha Mclean were dismissed for 13 and 4 respectively.
They sank to 18 for 2 and never rebounded except for Stafanie Taylor who withstood a bowling attack that ran through the top order.
Taylor hit a 33-ball 40 to fight off a bowling attack of Eshani Kaushalya and Udeshika Prabodhani as well as Hettimulla Siriwardene who took three wickets.
Only three West Indies players managed to reach double figures –Taylor 40, Dottin 13 and Kycia Knight 10.
The home side made unsteady progress chasing the 102 run target faltering several times as both teams tried to cling to the momentum.
Sri Lanka’s opening partnership was broken in the fifth over, followed by the loss of two more wickets without adding to the scoreboard as they plunged to 47 for three.
They hobbled to 79 for 4 in the 17th over and lost two more wickets to force West Indies back into the game but held their nerves to win with three balls to spare.
Prasadani Weerakkody made 16 of 32 and stitched a 32-run partnership with Nipuni Hansika who scored 17.
Shashikala Siriwardene and Deepika Rasangika steadied their chances by putting together 32 in 37 balls.
Eshani Kaushalya was soon dismissed for nine by Stafanie Taylor but Rasangika’s shot of Daley that earned her a couple runs was enough to ensure Sri Lanka won their first match of the series with three balls remaining.
West Indies lead the five match T20 series three games to one.
