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Sri Lanka have ended their nine-match winless streak with a 43-run triumph over West Indies in the second T20I at Cooli🧜dge Cricket Ground in Antigua on Friday. The visitors have also levelled the ongoing three-match series 1-1 with a decider to be played at the same ve♋nue on Sunday (March 07).
After deciding to bat first, the Angelo Mathews-led side posted a competitive total of 160/6 on the scoreboard in their allotted 20 overs. Danushka Gunathilaka shined with the bat for Lankans after he scored a crucial 56 runs fro♉m 42 delivꦦeries. He smashed six boundaries, including two maximums.
Gunathilaka’s opening partner Pathum Nissanka also played a handy knock of 37 off 23 balls as the pair put together a vital stand of 95 runs. Ashen Bandara (21) and Wanindu Hasaranga (19) made descent con𒁃tributiꦜons to take Sri Lanka to 160/6 after 20 overs.
In reply, the hosts never really looked they would manage to chase down the target easily as they kept on losing wickets at regular intervals. Caribbean skipper Kieron Pollard, who slammed 6-sixes in an over in tꦅhe pr﷽evious match, could only score 13 runs in the second fixture.
West Indies tailender Obed McCoy was the highest sc💙orer with 23 runs to his name as the whole team got bundled out for 117 runs only, thus losing the contest by 43 runs.
Sri Lankan spinners completely outplayed the opposition, especially Hasaranga and Lakshan Sandakan, who picked up three wickets each. While Sandakan bagged three scalps in 3.4 overs, conceding 10 runs, Hasaranga took three for 17𝕴 runs in his quota of 4 overs.
For the all-round performance, Hasaranga was named the Player of the Match in the game.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
W🅺anindu Has🃏aranga in the current T20I series: 8-0-29-6 🇱🇰🏏
— Azzam Ameen (@AzzamAmeen)
Wanindu Hasaranga became the 222nd player to dismiss Chris Gayle in international cricket. It is on Gayle's 2nd match in the 22nd year of his international career.
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats)
Obed McCoy came to the crease with a few tricks up his sleeve but Sri Lanka win the 2️⃣nd CG Insurance T20🧜I!
The series is still up for grabs…
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket)
Wanindu Hasara💧nga will be a major asset for Sri Lanka in T20s going forwa♕rd. Also, T20 franchises would be smart to pick him up. Impressive.
— CricBlog ✍ (@cric_blog)
All out for 117.
Sri Lanka win by 43 runs courtesy of a clinic from their spinners. We're going to a decider! |
— ICC (@ICC)
Sri Lanka won the 2nd T20i match against West Indies by 43 runs. SL scored 160/6. Danushka Gunathilaka 56, Pathum Nissanka 37.
WI 117— Sri Lanka Tweet 🇱🇰 (@SriLankaTweet)
Great come-back victory by Sri Lanka, they have defended 160 runs against this strong West Indies batting unit and win the match by 43 runs – Spinners made the difference by taking 7 wickets – Series decider on Monday.
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns)
A brilliant bowling performance bund🦹les out Windies for 117🌠 in 18.4 overs to seal a 43-run win! 🤩🙌
Sri Lanka level the series at 1-1!
— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC)
🌴 vs 🇱🇰 2nd T20I: Excellent comeback by visitors ( won by 43 runs & m🌺ade it 1-1ꦉ) as
🇱🇰
📢 Crucial 5️⃣6️⃣ for Gunathilaka.
📢 3️⃣w for Sandakan.
📢 3️⃣w for Hasaranga.🌴 Batting collapse in the chase meant f💝ell short of target.
— Thirumala Sai M (@mtsai4444)
What a thumpi🅰ng victory. Epic come back after 6 6s Akila, that could be the best figures in life time for and a captaining brillian🀅ce by
— VN (@VinTweets)
Third T20I half-century𒆙 for Danushka Gunathilaka 👏
Runs: 55 | Balls: 38 | Fours: 4 | Sixes: 2
Sri Lanka – 96/2 after 11 overs.
— Areeb🥃 Cricket Wor🐠ld digital media (@World_OfCricket)
Danushka Gunathilaka has been a common factor in SL's last 5 50+ opening stands in T20Is.
— ABS (@AbhiBSarda)
👍👍 🇱🇰🏏⚾️🌴
— DANUSHKA ARAVINDA (@DanuskaAravinda)
Sri Lanka Spinners
12.4 overs 48 runs 8 Wickets 4 – 0 – 13 – 1 4 – 0 – 17 – 3 3.4 – 0 – 10 – 3 1 – 0 – 8 – 1 🇱🇰🏏⚾️🌴
— DANUSHKA ARAVINDA (@DanuskaAravinda)
At the same time, this win doesn't mean that took their best T20I squad to the Caribbean.
KJP, Avishka🤪, Bhanuka & Udana SHOౠULD be there!!! And of course Dasun!
— Aadhil Siddhique (@AadhilSiddhique)
Highest economy rate in a T20I innings (min: ཧ2 overs):-
21.0 – Thisara Perera🇱🇰 v WI, today
20.5 – R Ashwin🇮🇳 v AUS in 2013
20.5 – Mark Watt🏴 v AFG in 2015
20.5 – Jeffrey Vandersay🇱🇰 v NZ in 2016
20.2 – Ben Wheeler🇳🇿 v AUS in 2018 ©— Naveen Mayantha Wijesinghe 🇱�🌄� 🇬🇧 (@imNaviya)
