T20: Allen leads West Indies to series win over Sri Lanka

Fabian Allen turned up with bat and ball on Sunday at Coolidge Cricket Ground to lead West Indies to a three-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the third and final T20. The victory secured a 2-1 series win for the Kieron Pollard-led Caribbean bunch.

Batting first, Sri Lanka were in deep trouble at 46-4 in the 10^th over, but recovered well to post 131-4, before West Indies knocked off the target with an over to spare.

Entrusted with the new-ball, left-arm spinner Allen returned figures of 1-13 off his four overs, which included 15 dot balls, as Sri Lanka found the going tough in the first half of the innings.

Danushka Gunithalaka (9), Pathum Nissanka (5), Niroshan Dickwella (4) and skipper Angelo Mathews (11) all fell cheaply as West Indies controlled the run of play.

However, Dinesh Chandimal and Ashen Bandara batted out the remaining 10.3 overs the innings, adding an unbroken 85 for the fifth wicket to revive the innings.

Chandimal ended on 54 off 46 and Bandara 44 off 35. Allen apart, the other wicket takers were Kevin Sinclair (1-19), Jason Holder (1-27) and Obed McCoy (1-29).

West Indies, in reply, lost wickets at regular intervals and had their troubles yet again with the tourists’ spin-heavy bowling attack, before Allen struck three sixes in 21 not out off six deliveries to shift the momentum.

Opener Lendl Simmons topscored with 26, Nicholas Pooran made 23 and Evin Lewis 21. Bowling for Sri Lanka, Lakshan Sandakan took 3-29, Wanindu Hasaranga 2-13 and Dushmantha Chameera 2-23.

The two sides switch focus now to the three-match ODI series, starting March 10. This will be followed by two Test matches, beginning March 21 and 29.