Whirlwind stand by Windies openers sink Sri Lanka in Dambulla.
BY TREVINE RODRIGO IN MELBOURNE.
(eLanka Sports Editor)
West Indies found their groove early and started their tour to the Sri Lanka with a stunning 5 -wicket win over the home team in Dambulla.
West Indian openers Brandon King and Evin Lewis led the onslaught on an inocous Sri Lanka attack smashing a whirlwind 107 off 9 overs to set the stage for a memorable win. Sri Lanka’s bowlers fought back after dismissing the duo, but could not stop the visitors from galloping to victory and a 1-0 lead in the three match T20 series.
The setback must surely have rattled the Lankans who have had success at this venue recently but were usurped by a team on a steady winning streak.
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The Carribbean kings of the past, appear to be heading on an upward trend in the white ball format and their meteoric rise augurs well for a team that has been in the wilderness for a long time since the world dominators during the Darren Sammy era of many years ago.
Sri Lanka will need to reset and reassess their strategy against an aggressive West Indies batting line-up that are dangerous when on song.
Sanath Jayasuriya’s men have got new direction right now that will need to be fine tuned during this series, mainly with the composition of the team which needs urgent attention for this particular format.
Sri Lanka have been dismal in the T20 format since winning the Asia Cup under Dasun Shanaka in 2022. It’s been a downward spiral since then as they struggle to break the fall.
West Indies will be riding on a high with the win and Sri Lanka’s task has now been made difficult as they attempt to wrest back the initiative.
It points to a riveting series.
