The West Indies entered the final T20 international match in Dambulla on Thursday hoping to rebound from a shocking 73-run defeat against Sri Lanka in Tuesday’s match.
However, this was not to be, as they lost the three-match series 2-1, their only win coming in the opening match.
The Men in Maroon won the toss and opted to bat first, only to lose Evin Lewis for a first-ball duck, highlighting a worrying start for the team. Lewis’ dismissal brought Shai Hope to the wicket, returning to the playing XI after being sidelined with a neck strain in the previous game.
Hope and Brandon King put on 37 runs during the powerplay overs, leading the team to 42 runs at the end of that period.
The further loss of wickets underscored the Windies’ glaring struggles against spin bowling, with the team falling to 68-5 at one point.
A solid partnership was needed to turn the game, and it came in the form of an innings-changing sixth-wicket stand between captain Rovman Powell (37) and Gudakesh Motie (32), worth 54 runs. A cameo from Romario Shepherd, who scored 18 runs, helped the team reach an unlikely total of 162-8.
Sanath Jayasuriya’s men used seven bowlers. Dunith Wellalage, who had taken 3-9 on debut with his slow left-arm orthodox, was the only one wicketless this time around. Wanindu Hasaranga took 2-24 with his legbreaks. And Barbados Royals player Maheesh Theekshana took 2-19 to lead the charge0.
Lions captain Charith Asalanka captured 1-14 with his right arm offbreaks, and Kamindu Mendis was 1-21 with his variations.
Fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara got in on the action as well. Pathirana took 1-15. Thushara was the most expensive bowler, going for 27 from his two overs, but he took Shepherd with his right arm medium pace.
In reply, the Sri Lankans started aggressively in the powerplay overs, scoring 67 runs during that period.
Fluent run-scoring continued as the Windies struggled to take wickets while simultaneously leaking runs. An unbeaten partnership worth 106 between Kusal Mendis (68) and Kusal Perera (55) took the game away from the Windies, leading to a nine-wicket defeat and securing the series win in the process.
Three of the visiting bowlers went for double-figure economy rates. Shamar Joseph leaked 26 runs in two overs. Alzarri Joseph’s three overs yielded 38. Fabian Allen, replacing Shamar Springer, gave up 23 runs in two overs.
Motie took the only wicket, Pathum Nissanka for 39, and Motie 1-31 from four overs.
In a post-match interview, Powell indicated that the battle against spin played a key role in the outcome.
“The Sri Lankan spinners completely out-bowled our spinners, and we knew it would be a showdown of the spinners—about who bowled better and who batted better against them,” he said. “There are a lot of positives when you come to Sri Lanka and push them. My guys gave good efforts; our fast bowlers performed well on these tracks.”
This series was historic for Sri Lanka, marking the first time they have defeated the West Indies in a T20I series.
Out of the last seven series played in Asia, this was the fifth loss for the Men in Maroon. With the 2026 T20 World Cup scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka and India, head coach Daren Sammy’s men will need to go back to the drawing board to ensure a better showing.
Photo credit: ICC
