Shanaka, Mishara fifties set up series-levelling win for Sri Lanka against West Indies

Dasun Shanaka produced the batting ballistics, Kamil Mishara held the innings together, and Sri Lanka‘s spinners dominated the middle overs, comfortably defending their 194-6.

This 37-run victory brings Sri Lanka level 1-1 in the series against West Indies, with one match to play on Sunday night.

Sri Lanka had been struggling at 88-4 in the 13th over when Shanaka joined Mishara at the crease. The pair then blasted 103 off 42 balls together to propel Sri Lanka to a commanding score of 194-6, hitting seven sixes and nine fours between them

Although Sri Lanka struck twice with the new ball, West Indies had still looked confident in pursuit at 89-2, until Sri Lanka’s spinners went to work. A run out would spark a collapse that cost West Indies six wickets for 32 runs.

They struggled to recover from 122-8 after 15 overs. Dushmantha Chameera, who had struck early in the innings and was effective in the other phases as well, closed out the match in the 19th over, taking three wickets for nine runs.

West Indies were 157 all out, despite Rovman Powell and Shimron Hetmyer having put on 81 off 47 for the third wicket.

Shanaka explodes

Although he arrived at the crease with Sri Lanka in some trouble, Shanaka was almost immediately aggressive, blasting Roston Chase’s offspin onto the roof of the Sabina Park stadium fourth ball, before crashing him for a four and thumping another six next ball.

All three of these boundaries came through deep midwicket. He also struck a huge six down the ground, and hooked a ball over fine leg as well, as he stormed to a 19-ball fifty.

This equalled his own record for fastest Sri Lanka men’s half century in T20Is. There were also five fours in his 58 off 24, the most memorable of which was a four over extra cover, also off the bowling of Springer.

Mishara holds the fort

Having come to the crease in the fifth over, Mishara remained unbeaten until the close. He took a while to get going as wickets fell around him. He only found his first boundary off the 16th ball he faced.

But having sauntered to 22 off 23 after 15 overs, he took cues from Shanaka and unleashed some big hitting of his own at the death. He took a particular liking to the bowling of Matthew Forde, whom he walloped twice down the ground in the 17th over. He finished with 61 not out off 40.

Hetmyer and Powell prosper

Sri Lanka struck twice in the first 10 balls to have West Indies at 9-2, but Hetmyer and Powell soon revived the chase, striking judicious boundaries through the powerplay before looking to up the scoring rate in the middle overs.

They looked like they were putting the hosts on track for a series win when they reaped 18 runs off the eighth over, bowled by Maheesh Theekshana, then 11 off the next one bowled by Wanindu Hasaranga.

But on a track taking a little spin, they had some close calls, particularly Hetmyer who was bowled by Theekshana in the ninth over. However, that delivery turned out to be a no-ball.

Sri Lanka bowlers dominate the middle overs

It took a run out from Pavan Rathnayake to break the Hetmyer-Powell stand, but the spinners soon took the chase by the collar. Theekshana had Powell caught off the leading edge in the 10th over, then Hasaranga struck twice in two balls to remove Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd in the 13th over, his googly proving dangerous again.

Dunith Wellalage and Chameera – who had both struck with the new ball – continued to strike.

By the time West Indies arrived at the 16th over, they were already eight down, with a required rate approaching 15. Hasaranga and Chameera closed the innings out, finishing with three wickets apiece. (ESPNcricinfo)