Sri Lanka 162 out of five (Nissanka 54, Kusal Mendis 26, Shepherd 2-23) won West Indies 89 (Powell 20, Wellalage 3-9, Asalanka 2-6, Theekshana 2-7) in 73 runs
Sri Lanka’s spinners destroyed the West Indies batsmen on a spinning Dambulla surface to level the order at one apiece as they took the second ODI by 73 runs.
Sri Lankan spinners show off their skills
Hasaranga, Sri Lanka’s leading spinner, bowled his first delivery of the game in the 11th over of the chase. And the fact that he picked up a wicket with that bid was probably the least important side.
What was more surprising was that he was the sixth bowler affected in Sri Lanka, and the West Indies had still managed to collapse to 39 for six. But who wants Hasaranga when you have the world-renowned secondary styles of, um, Charith Asalanka? Of course, with two left-handed batsmen in the crease, the Sri Lanka captain decided to field himself and a right-arm spin on Hasaranga forward Kamindu Mendis.
And it worked too. Asalanka’s two overs brought in two wickets for just six runs, and those weren’t even the best figures at that level of the game. No, that praise was for Wellalage, although he is not at all accustomed to the world level, which had taken 3.
In the run-up to the game, Asalanka had said that she had hoped for more for the spinners in the first T20I, and her wish was granted and then some in the second. Gudakesh Motie turning the ball in the first innings would have set off West Indies’ alarm bells, but even that wouldn’t have prepared them for a sharp 100km/h breakaway from Theekshana.
I want to go back out to the drafting board.
The first T20I made it clear that the West Indies batsmen put an end to their plans perfectly and put the Sri Lankan bowlers to the sword. Going out, moving into the crease, using the intensity, everything went well, with the excessive extreme of course nowhere as it seemed.
Sri Lanka, however, took what they learned and became more potent again, mainly because they were prepared for what this pitch was ready to change, replacing bowling all-rounder Chamindu Wickramasinghe with Wellalage.
The West Indies, on the other hand, appeared to have ignored the memo and had only two spinners in their lineup. And the two, Motie and Roston Chase, did their part, getting just 37 from their collective 8 overs. It won’t be a surprise if Fabian Allen earns a final-game exit.
Later, the West Indies batsmen seemed not to know how to negotiate Sri Lanka’s spin ultimatum, expertly using the situations along with the cool variations in speed, crease and size. The West Indies will want to get their hands on the plans quickly if they want to issue an ultimatum in Thursday’s decision.
Nissanka shines in retrospect
At first glance, Nissanka’s innings looked more destructive than anything else, and due to the factors of modern T20 cricket, it wasn’t too clear why. This was an innings that saw 42 limited runs (nine fours and one six) but also included 27 dot balls.
In reality, it was once a microcosm of Sri Lanka’s innings as a whole; They made 58 points. He figured that for five of the first ten overs fewer than five runs were scored, and a portion of his overall powerplay of 52 was plundered in a single Shamar Joseph, where a mix of good luck and belligerence saw Nissanka plundered. 25 races.
But when that end was supposed to mark the beginning of Sri Lanka’s attack, Nissanka and company seemed to have alternative ideas. That over ensured that the first three overs, in which Sri Lanka managed a total of eight runs, were briefly in the rear-view mirror; During the powerplay finale, Sri Lanka’s run rate was a healthy 8.66, but that was the best they could achieve at any level during their innings.
The residue of Nissanka’s past in the wrinkle was spent on point-handing sessions and the ordinary bachelor with an ordinary limit. But his time at the crease ensured that he could try consistently and thereby keep Sri Lanka’s score above seven an apiece.
Anchors are largely considered obsolete in T20s, but on a wicket like this Nissanka, who was once named a Fit Participant, turned out to be beneficial (even if it hasn’t been in the past), allowing players like Perera the initial dangers will strike. And later, with wickets in hand for the death overs, the middle and bottom form collide freely. As a result, Sri Lanka scored 85 runs in the final ten overs, just four short of the West Indies’ final total.
