149/3 (19.2)
CR : 7.71
147/9 (20.0)
CR : 7.35
West Indies won by 7 wickets 🏆
Player of the Match
Jason Holder
3/18
19.1
1
Dilshan Madushanka to Shai Hope
Over the wicket, 136.9 kph. Full toss on the off stump. Driven to long off for another single.
19.2
6
Dilshan Madushanka to Rovman Powell
SIX RUNS! Powell finishes off with a maximum! Sabina Park goes berserk! 136.8 kph. Half volley on the pads. Powell finds the ball in his arc. Muscles a pick-up shot across the line. High in the air and clearing the midwicket fence! West Indies win by 7 wickets and go 1-0 up in the series!
Over 20
West Indies 149/3
Rovman Powell10(6)
Shai Hope65(54)
Dilshan Madushanka0-39(3.2)
WI won by 7 wickets
09:33 AM IST & 11:03 PM Local Time: It took some time but what a way for Rovman Powell and the West Indies to win the first T20I by seven wickets and take a 1-0 lead. The skipper, Shai Hope deserves credit for staying unbeaten on 65* (54) with runs hard to come by as the innings went on.
Chasing 148 for victory, Brandon King got an early reprieve as he was caught off a no-ball from Dushmantha Chameera in the 2nd over. Both King and Shai Hope opened up and made full use of the field restrictions as the West Indies coasted to 56/0 in the Powerplay. However, as soon as spin was brought on in the form of Wanindu Hasaranga, King departed. Shimron Hetmyer came out in aggressive fashion and he struck a few boundaries but his stay was also short-lived as Hasaranga had him caught at deep mid-wicket in ninth over.
Kusal Mendis rotated his bowlers well and the scoring rate dipped massively with Roston Chase struggling to put bat on ball. The West Indies went on a 32-ball streak without a boundary which was finally broken in the 15th over with Hope getting to his 12th T20I fifty in the process as well. Meanwhile, Roston Chase continued to struggle before he hit a six on his 25th delivery. Eshan Malinga made an immediate comeback though by castling him. The visitors continued to bowl superbly as they took the game to the final over with six needed for victory. Hope took a single off the first ball and the local man, Rovman Powell finished the game off in style by flicking the ball over the roof at deep mid-wicket.
Earlier in the match, Sri Lanka also got off to a flying start in the Powerplay with both Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis looking in good touch. The West Indies rounded off the Powerplay in fine fashion though with Jason Holder and Shamar Joseph accounting for two and one scalp respectively. Sri Lanka kept losing wickets with their captain, Kusal Mendis departing in the eighth over after making 36 (23).
This was when Kamindu Mendis and Dasun Shanaka came together to stitch a crucial 59-run partnership. Roston Chase broke the stand in the 16th and that brought West Indies back into the contest even as Kamindu Mendis batted till the final over and reached his fifty. In the end, they could only settle with 147/9 with both Holder and Shamar taking three wickets each.
Chasing 148 for victory, Brandon King got an early reprieve as he was caught off a no-ball from Dushmantha Chameera in the 2nd over. Both King and Shai Hope opened up and made full use of the field restrictions as the West Indies coasted to 56/0 in the Powerplay. However, as soon as spin was brought on in the form of Wanindu Hasaranga, King departed. Shimron Hetmyer came out in aggressive fashion and he struck a few boundaries but his stay was also short-lived as Hasaranga had him caught at deep mid-wicket in ninth over.
Kusal Mendis rotated his bowlers well and the scoring rate dipped massively with Roston Chase struggling to put bat on ball. The West Indies went on a 32-ball streak without a boundary which was finally broken in the 15th over with Hope getting to his 12th T20I fifty in the process as well. Meanwhile, Roston Chase continued to struggle before he hit a six on his 25th delivery. Eshan Malinga made an immediate comeback though by castling him. The visitors continued to bowl superbly as they took the game to the final over with six needed for victory. Hope took a single off the first ball and the local man, Rovman Powell finished the game off in style by flicking the ball over the roof at deep mid-wicket.
Earlier in the match, Sri Lanka also got off to a flying start in the Powerplay with both Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis looking in good touch. The West Indies rounded off the Powerplay in fine fashion though with Jason Holder and Shamar Joseph accounting for two and one scalp respectively. Sri Lanka kept losing wickets with their captain, Kusal Mendis departing in the eighth over after making 36 (23).
This was when Kamindu Mendis and Dasun Shanaka came together to stitch a crucial 59-run partnership. Roston Chase broke the stand in the 16th and that brought West Indies back into the contest even as Kamindu Mendis batted till the final over and reached his fifty. In the end, they could only settle with 147/9 with both Holder and Shamar taking three wickets each.
Player of the Match: Jason Holder
Jason Holder (Player of the Match): [on bowling in PP and death] "I had a good look at the surface by watching the opening bowlers. So I knew what length I had to come in and bowl. For me it's trying to be as consistent as possibly I can and let them hit me off a really good length. I thought it was a little two-paced as well. I just want to be a little bit fuller or rather be too short.
[on shorter boundaries] It depends on the situation in the game. After getting 2 wickets in 2 balls in my 1st over, it really set them back a little bit. Shamar picked up a wicket in his first over as well, that put us back in the game where we wanted to be. I didn't necessarily have to go big side, short side today. It's more about keeping the stumps in play as long as possible.
[on his form in T20 cricket] I just try to plan a little bit better. It's just more or less trying to understand the conditions, the opposition and being a little bit a step ahead of the opposition. I just try to keep it as simple as I possibly can, execute my plans. I did look at a little bit of numbers as well to understand where we've been going wrong and just trying to correct those mistakes."
[on shorter boundaries] It depends on the situation in the game. After getting 2 wickets in 2 balls in my 1st over, it really set them back a little bit. Shamar picked up a wicket in his first over as well, that put us back in the game where we wanted to be. I didn't necessarily have to go big side, short side today. It's more about keeping the stumps in play as long as possible.
[on his form in T20 cricket] I just try to plan a little bit better. It's just more or less trying to understand the conditions, the opposition and being a little bit a step ahead of the opposition. I just try to keep it as simple as I possibly can, execute my plans. I did look at a little bit of numbers as well to understand where we've been going wrong and just trying to correct those mistakes."
Kusal Mendis (Sri Lanka Captain): :"(Where Sri Lanka went wrong?) When we were batting in the Powerplay, we lost two-three wickets in the Powerplay. That is why we struggled during the middle overs but Kamindu and Dasun batted well. We struggled bowling in the Powerplay but all the bowlers came back after that."
Shai Hope (West Indies Captain): "(On the pitch) It was pretty challenging. The bounce was very inconsistent. Variations were key for the bowlers.
(Holder and Shamar with the ball) The consistency was commendable, especially the way they utilised the conditions. The execution was very good.
(Starting the series with a win) It is a great confidence booster when you start a series well.
(How to improve batting against spin) Have to be more confident against spin. Trust your practice and skills."
(Holder and Shamar with the ball) The consistency was commendable, especially the way they utilised the conditions. The execution was very good.
(Starting the series with a win) It is a great confidence booster when you start a series well.
(How to improve batting against spin) Have to be more confident against spin. Trust your practice and skills."
So, that is it from me, Karthik Raj and my co-commentator, Ninaad. A note of thanks to our scorer, Ashok Dayma, as well. Do stay tuned to our coverage, with plenty more cricket to come, especially as the ICC Women's T20 World Cup starts tonight.