Twitter Reactions: Matthews, Campbelle set up West Indies' series victory over Sri Lanka

West Indies staged a remarkable turnaround against Sri Lanka Women following their struggles in the initial four white-ball matches of the tour.

By Rathnam Nayak

Updated - 28 Jun 2024, 17:04 IST

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The beginning of West Indies women's white-ball tour to Sri Lanka was less than ideal, as they not only suffered a whitewash in the ODI series, but also found themselves trailing in the T20I leg. However, a resurgence marked by spirited and disciplined performances enabled them to secure a remarkable come-from-behind victory, clinching the third T20I by a six-wicket margin to win the T20I series 2-1. 

Having opted to bowl first, West Indies got off to a perfect start by dismissing Vishmi Gunaratne on just the second ball of the innings. The aggressive 18-year-old attempted a pull shot off Chinelle Henry, but top-edged it. Despite this early setback, Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama responded resiliently with a partnership of 55 runs off 54 deliveries.

Samarawickrama, however, returned a catch to Afy Fletcher shortly after. This was followed by a brisk 34-run stand off 25 balls between Athapaththu and Kavisha Dilhari. Athapaththu eventually fell, caught superbly in the deep by Shamilia Connell off Aaliyah Alleyne, redeeming herself after dropping the same batter moments earlier. Late contributions from Ama Kanchana and Nilakshi de Silva propelled the total to 141. Alleyne and Fletcher were the standout performers with the ball, with both returning figures of 4-0-25-2.

Also Read: Not a bad idea to have Test Championships for women: Amol Muzumdar

Stephanie Taylor and Hayley Matthews forged a robust 60-run opening partnership in a brisk 48 deliveries. Following Matthews' departure, Taylor combined with Shemaine Campbelle to produce a steady 51-run stand off 44 balls. When Mathews was dismissed lbw attempting a cross-line swipe against Kawya Kavindi, West Indies stood at 111 for 2 in 15.2 overs.

With the required run rate a-run-a-ball, Campbelle adeptly guided the rest of the chase. The late dismissals of Chedean Nation and Alleyne in the 18th and 19th overs, while attempting aggressive strokes, injected some late drama. However, smart running in the final over, where only six runs were needed, ensured there were no further hiccups to reward a well-deserved series win, with West Indies Women outstretching their dominance over Sri Lanka Women in T20Is by a 20-5 margin. 

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