West Indies return home with a win …

Sri Lanka’s dismal T20 international record at the R Premadasa Stadium continued when they lost the second match of the series to West Indies by 23 runs which meant the two teams shared the two-match series one-all.

The loss was Sri Lanka ninth at this venue in 10 matches, the solitary win coming in 2012 against Pakistan by 16 runs. It was at this venue that Sri Lanka lost the World T20 final to West Indies in 2012.

The win gave Darren Sammy’s West Indies team their first success of a five-week tour that saw them lose the Test series (0-2) and the ODI series (0-3).

Sammy’s pre-match wish to return home with a win was fulfilled by fast bowlers Ravi Rampaul and Man of the Match Dwayne Bravo who between them took seven wickets as Sri Lanka suffered a batting collapse losing nine wickets for 46 runs after being strongly placed at 93-1 in the 13th over. West Indies bowled and fielded brilliantly to defend their total of 162 and dismissed Sri Lanka for 139 off the final ball of the match.

Top scorer for Sri Lanka was veteran opener Tillakaratne Dilshan with 52 off 38 balls. Shehan Jayasuriya made 30 but the rest of the batting disappointed as the West Indies tightened their grip on the game following the dismissal of Dilshan at 102 in the 14th over. Rampaul’s double strike in the 14th over pegged Sri Lanka back and they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Rampaul sent back Dinesh Chandimal for one and Dilshan both caught in the deep before Bravo got into the act to ensure there was no late recovery by the Lankans.

Lasith Malinga and Nuwan Kulasekera kept things tight for the first four overs conceding just 17 runs when the first bowling – Sachitra Senanayake brought a flurry of runs and got West Indies moving into top gear. Johnson Charles dismissed without scoring at Pallekele greeted Senanayake by clobbering him for 22 runs off his first over inclusive of three sixes and one four.

Dushmantha Chameera also suffered the same fate going for 22 in his first over where he was unlucky to have Fletcher (16) dropped at cover by Shehan Jayasuriya. The batting power play produced 61 runs off the first six overs.

Jayasuriya however offset the lapse in the following over with a brilliant piece of fielding on the fine leg boundary to run out Marlon Samuels for one with a direct hit.

With Fletcher and Charles looking extremely dangerous in their partnership which had raised 62 off 6.2 overs it was the man with the golden arm Milinda Siriwardana whom skipper Lasith Malinga had to turn to for the breakthrough. Siriwardana trapped both openers lbw off successive overs to check the West Indies run flow. When Dushmantha Chameera had Andre Russell caught at deep fine leg by Dinesh Chandimal West Indies were 97-4 in the 12th over.

Contributions of 31 and 34 not out from Dwayne Bravo and Denesh Ramdin respectively gave West Indies a decent total of 162 to defend.

A slim and fit Malinga bowling with his usual fire and Siriwardana were the pick of the Lankan bowlers claiming two wickets apiece.

The Sri Lanka players wore yellow arm bands as a mark of respect to Most Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera.