Tag: West Indies vs Sri Lanka

HARARE: Maheesh Theekshana’s astonishing figures of 4/34, followed by Pathum Nissanka’s century powered Sri Lanka to crush West Indies by eight wickets in the Cricket World Cup (CWC) Qualifier.

Set to chase a modest 244-run target, Pathum Nissanka’s anchoring century knock paved the way for Sri Lanka to complete the pursuit for the loss of just two wickets with 34 balls to spare.

Sri Lankan openers Nissanka and Dimuth Karunaratne scripted a solid start to the run chase with a sensible 193-run partnership which lasted with the latter’s dismissal in the 34th over.

Nissanka struck 14 boundaries on his way to a 113-ball 104.

Karunaratne soon followed his opening partner’s footsteps in the 37th over when he also walked back to the pavilion when Sri Lanka needed 40 more runs.

He scored 83 off 92 deliveries with the help of seven boundaries.

With both openers back in the pavilion, wicketkeeper batter Kusal Mendis and Sadeera Samarawickrama made sure there were no more hiccups in the run chase and put on an unbeaten partnership.

Mendis scored 34 not out off 43 deliveries, hitting three boundaries while Samarawickrama scored an unbeaten 17.

Kevin Sinclair and Akeal Hosein could pick a wicket apiece for West Indies.

Put into bat first in their last CWC Qualifier fixture, the West Indies batting lineup once again faltered and thus the two-time champions, already knocked out of the World Cup qualification race, could only pile 243 runs on the scoreboard.

The Caribbean side after a cautious start, kept losing wickets at an alarming rate before eventually bowling out for a meagre total.

Their partnership came for the ninth wicket when Keacy Carty and Kevin Sinclair added 63 runs to the total.

Carty waged a lone battle for West Indies amid their dismal show with the bat with a gutsy 87-run knock from 96 deliveries, hitting six boundaries and a six.

Opening batter Johnson Charles (39), Romario Shepherd (25) and Sinclair (25) were the other significant contributor for the West Indies.

Maheesh Theekshana spearheaded Sri Lanka’s bowling attack with 4/35, followed by debutant Dushan Hemantha’s 2/49.

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GALLE: Sri Lankan spinners Lasith Embuldeniya and Ramesh Mendis pounced on the West Indian batting line-up, each claiming five-wicket hauls as Sri Lanka thumped West Indies in the second match, here on Friday.

Dhananjaya de Silva and Lasith resumed the proceedings for the side on 328/8 on the final day of the second test. Both batters looked solid, riding on the previous day’s momentum, but they could only add 17 runs to the team’s total before Lasith was castled on a gritty 39 by Jason Holder. The Lions declared their innings on 345/9, setting the Carribeans a target of 297.

Veerasammy Permaul was the standout bowler for the Caribbeans, taking three wickets. Roston Chase claimed two wickets, while Kraigg Brathwaite and Holder each struck out one batter.

In response, West Indian openers Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood failed to get their team off to a good start. After being trapped in his legs by Mendis on 6, Brathwaite found himself walking back to the pavilion.

However, Blackwood and Nkrumah Bonner looked promising as both batters batted sensibly for their 50-run stand before Blackwood was dismissed on 36 Lasith. His wicket started the collapse, and the team started losing wickets at an alarming rate. Bonner, who was looking strong, also fell short when Lasith castled the batter on 44. In the second innings, he remained his team’s leading scorer. West Indies were eventually bowled out for 132, losing the match by 164 runs.

Lasith and Mendis were the Lions’ standout bowlers, both claiming fifer to dismiss the opposition on a low score.

With this victory, Sri Lanka maintained their lead in the ICC World Test Championship points table, with 24 points and a winning percentage of 100 percent as of December 3.

READ: Dhananjaya’s century puts Sri Lanka in control

GALLE: Sri Lankan spinners fired back at West Indian batting line-up on day 3 of the second test match here on Wednesday, dismissing them for 253.

West Indies resumed at an overnight score of 69/1, with their batters Kraigg Brathwaite and Nkrumah Bonner adding 68 runs to their team’s total before Bonner was dismissed on 35 by Mendis. Brathwaite also fell relatively soon as the batter was dismissed on 72 by Lasith Embuldeniya when there were 166 runs on the board.

Shai Hope and Roston Chase intended to keep things under control, but failed when Mendis sent Chase back to the pavilion on 10. Soon after, Hope was also dismissed on 22, as Mendis trapped the batter in the legs.

Kyle Mayers, on the other hand, fought back and scored a valiant 36 not out. However, wickets were falling at an alarming rate, and the team was eventually dismissed for 253. Brathwaite was the team’s top scorer.

Mendis was the Lions’ standout performer, claiming a five-wicket haul, taking six wickets and initiating the collapse. Embuldeniya and Praveen Jayawickrama, on the other hand, were both extremely clinical, dismissing two batters each.

Sri Lankan batters, in reply, looked promising but could not get going as two run-outs halted them from a good start. The two batters who lost their wickets after being run-out were skipper Dimuth Karunaratne (6) and Oshada Fernando (14). The Lions’ first two wickets were taken for 39 runs. Pathum Nissanka (21*) and Charith Asalanka (1*) will resume their innings on day four.

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Sri Lanka clinched a 20-run victory over West Indies in their T20 World Cup group stage fixture in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

Kieron Pollard’s side, chasing a 190-run target, were restricted to 168-8 in their 20 overs.

Shimron Hetmyer top-scored with his unbeaten knock of 81 from 54 deliveries with the help of eight boundaries and four sixes. However, it was not enough for the side to get over the line.

Wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran hit six boundaries and a six on his way to 34-ball 46.

Pathum Nissanka and Charith Asalanka had scored half-centuries as Sri Lanka made 189-3.

Asalanka top-scored with 68 from 41 deliveries with the help of eight fours and a six while Nissanka made hit five boundaries on his way to 41-ball 51.

Andre Russell took two wickets for his side while Dwayne Bravo dismissed a batter as well.

SQUADS

SRI LANKA: Kusal Perera, Pathum Nissanka, Charith Asalanka, Avishka Fernando, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Dasun Shanaka (c), Chamika Karunaratne, Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva, Dushmantha Chameera, Maheesh Theekshana, Binura Fernando

WEST INDIES: Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Roston Chase, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Kieron Pollard (capt), Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Dwayne Bravo, Akeal Hosein, Ravi Rampaul