#Andrew Fidel Fernando

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Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera fifties power SL to series win

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3rd T20I (N), Dambulla, October 17, 2024, West Indies tour of Sri Lanka

WI

162/8

SL

(18/20 ov, T:163) 166/1

Sri Lanka won by 9 wickets (with 12 balls remaining)

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Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera fifties power SL to series win

West Indies had done well to recover from a poor start and make 162, but it wasn't nearly enough



Andrew Fidel Fernando

17-Oct-2024 • 16 hrs ago



Kusal Mendis raised a crucial fifty  •  Getty Images

Sri Lanka 166 for 1 (Kusal Mendis 68*, Kusal Perera 55*) beat West Indies 162 for 8 (Powell 37, Motie 32, Theekshana 2-19) by nine wickets

Pathum Nissanka sent Sri Lanka's chase screaming out of the blocks, before Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera put on a clinical and unbeaten 106-run stand for the second wicket. For a team that had never before beaten West Indies in a T20I series, this chase was almost too effortless to believe. Each of the top three produced sparkling innings, as the hosts galloped to the target of 163 with 12 balls remaining, in front of a packed Poya-day crowd in Dambulla.

West Indies had earlier done well to get to 162 themselves, though they largely have a late assault from Gudakesh Motie - who bludgeoned 32 off 15 - for getting to what was perhaps a higher-than-par score on a spin-friendly track.

Though Dunith Wellalage went for runs, Sri Lanka's remaining spinners kept a lid on the scoring. This too, was a key difference between the teams.

Kusal Mendis went on to register the game's highest score, with 68 not out off 50. Perera crashed 55 off 36. Nissanka had played the most aggressive innings, plundering 39 off 22.

The 2-1 result is a further sign of resurgence from Sri Lanka, in the format in which they have arguably struggled the most in the last two years. They have this year won five Test matches, and had in July beaten India in a bilateral ODI series as well. This win also sees new coach Sanath Jayasuriya's stock rise further.

Sri Lanka attack early

West Indies bolstered their spin atttack by bringing Fabian Allen into the side for this match, but Nissanka ensured Sri Lanka's batters established their dominance early. He cracked three fours off the first over, bowled by Allen, before launching seamer Alzrri Joseph for two sixes and a four next over - the runs coming all around the ground, though he did favour the square region on the offside. By the time Nissanka was bowled by a Motie slider after 5.2 overs, Sri Lanka had already sped to 60.