Sri Lanka 162 for 5 (Nisanka 54, Kusal Mendis 26, Shepherd 2-23) defeated west indies 89 (Powell 20, Velazquez 3-9, Asalanka 2-6, Thikshana 2-7) by 73 runs
Sri Lanka’s spinners outwitted the West Indies batsmen on the spinning surface of Dambulla to level the series at 1-all and win the second T20 match by 73 runs.
Sri Lankan spinners showed their skills
Sri Lanka’s leading spinner Hasaranga bowled his first ball of the game in the 11th over of the chase. And the fact that he took a wicket on that ball was probably the least remarkable aspect about it.
What was more surprising was that he was the sixth bowler used by Sri Lanka, and West Indies still managed to reach 39 for 6. But who needs Hasaranga when you have the world famous offspin stylings of, um, Charith Asalanka. Yes, with two left-handed batsmen at the crease, the Sri Lankan captain opted to introduce himself and the right-handed version of Kamindu Mendis before Hasaranga.
And it also worked. Asalanka took two wickets for just six runs in two overs – and those weren’t even the best figures at that stage of the game. No, that honor belonged to Vélez – although he is by no means new to the international stage – who won three awards for himself.
At the start of the game, Asalanka had said how he had expected more from the spinners in the first T20I, and his wish was met and then some in the second. Gudakesh Moti’s square turn in the first innings might have sent alarm bells ringing for West Indies, but even that could not prepare them for Theekshana’s 100kmph offbreaks.
WI needs to go back to the drawing board
In the first T20I, the West Indies batsmen executed their plans perfectly and troubled the Sri Lankan bowlers. Stepping out, moving around in the crease, using the depth, everything went well, except in reality the last over-finish was nowhere close to what it looked.
However, Sri Lanka learned their lessons and came back strongly – largely due to the fact that they were prepared for what this surface had to offer, with Velez replacing fast bowling all-rounder Chamindu Wickremesinghe.
However, it seemed as if West Indies had missed the memo, and had only two spinners in their line-up. And both of them – Moti and Roston Chase – played their part, conceding only 37 runs in their collective eight overs. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Fabian Allen gets a chance in the final game.
It seemed as if the West Indies batsmen were unable to understand how to deal with Sri Lanka’s spin threats, using clever changes of pace, line and length as well as the conditions efficiently. West Indies will have to come up with a plan quickly if they are to pose a threat in Thursday’s decider.
Nissanka shines from behind
At first glance, Nissanka’s innings looked more damaging than anything else – and by the standards of modern T20 cricket, it wasn’t too difficult to understand why. It was an innings in which 42 runs came from boundaries (9 fours and a six), but it also included 27 dot balls.
In fact, it was a microcosm of Sri Lanka’s innings as a whole; He played 58 points. This meant that less than five runs were scored in five of the first ten overs, and almost half of their powerplay total of 52 runs was plundered in one over from Shamar Joseph, where a combination of luck and fighting spirit saw Nissanka score 25 runs. Had looted.
But if that over was meant to signal the beginning of Sri Lanka’s attack, Nissanka and Co. had other ideas. That over ensured that the first three overs, in which Sri Lanka scored eight runs together, were quickly in the rearview; Sri Lanka’s run rate stood at 8.66 by the end of the powerplay – but this was the highest they had reached at any point in their innings.
The rest of Nissanka’s time at the crease was spent punctuating between dot deliveries and unmarked singles with an awkward boundary. But the time he spent at the crease ensured he was able to do so consistently – and also kept Sri Lanka’s scoring rate above seven runs per over.
Anchors are largely considered obsolete in T20, but on wickets like this, Nissanka – who was named player of the match – proved invaluable (even if it didn’t seem like it at the time), as he gave players like Perera an opportunity. Take risks early. And then with wickets in hand for the death overs, the middle and lower order hit freely. As a result, Sri Lanka scored 85 runs in the last ten overs – only four runs less than West Indies’ final score.
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