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Big picture – Sri Lanka well behind West Indies in T20 quality
If one were to seek out silver linings, however, the manner of Sri Lanka’s dismissals could at the very least not be put down to a lack of intent. Head coach Gary Kirsten has spoken openly of his preference for process over immediate results, and while that might be a tricky balancing act in the short-term, it could still reap rich dividends in the not-so-distant future.
That said, living in the present as we are, from the highs of an ODI series win in the Caribbean for the first time in 23 years, the transition to T20Is has highlighted the stark contrast in firepower between the sides. Each of West Indies top-five batters cleared the ropes at least once, and looking further down the line-up it was clear there were plenty more hitters to come.
On the flip side, For Shai Hope’s men, troubles seem much farther out and a victory in the second match will wrap up the series with a game to spare. Their multi-pronged pace attack successfully exploited the bounce at Sabina Park, and the batting line-up executed their plans largely as they would have intended – even if they allowed Sri Lanka to drag the game deeper than perhaps planned.
The hosts will now be looking for a more complete performance, particularly with the bat, as they seek to put Sri Lanka to the proverbial sword. Sri Lanka, on the other hand, face a quick turnaround to snap their batting into place, or they risk playing a dead rubber on Sunday.
Form guide
West Indies WLLWW (last five completed games, most recent first)
Sri Lanka LLLLL
In the spotlight – Jason Holder and Kamindu Mendis
Kamindu Mendis was a rare bright spot in Sri Lanka’s underwhelming scorecard, fighting through for a 39-ball 51. His ability to counter pace and spin alike makes him central to Sri Lanka’s plans. The management also seems to trust him to handle tricky scenarios, pitched recently as an ODI opener and now increasingly as a middle-order firefighter-cum-enforcer. However, he drastically needs support from those around him if Sri Lanka want to lay down a platform capable of challenging the hosts.
Team news – Will Dunith Wellalage come in?
West Indies left out left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie in the first game to field an extra seamer, a tactical move that paid rich dividends. Given how effectively Shamar Joseph and Romario Shepherd supported Holder, the home side is highly likely to field an unchanged XI.
West Indies XI (probable): 1 Shai Hope (capt, wk), 2 Brandon King, 3 Shimron Hetmyer, 4 Roston Chase, 5 Sherfane Rutherford, 6 Rovman Powell, 7 Jason Holder, 8 Romario Shepherd, 9 Matthew Forde, 10 Akeal Hosein, 11 Shamar Joseph
Sri Lanka XI (probable): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Kusal Mendis (capt, wk), 3 Lasith Croospulle/Dunith Wellalage, 4 Pavan Rathnayake, 5 Kamindu Mendis, 6 Dasun Shanaka, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Dilshan Madushanka/Dunith Wellalage 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Dushmantha Chameera, 11 Eshan Malinga
Pitch and conditions
Sabina Park offered decent bounce and carry in the series opener, though the surface looked a bit patchy. The track for the second match is expected to be slightly slower, potentially giving Sri Lanka’s frontline spinners a larger say in the game. The weather forecast for Kingston also looks mostly clear for a (hopefully) uninterrupted evening clash.
Stats and trivia
- Wanindu Hasaranga has 18 wickets against West Indies in T20Is making him the fifth-highest wicket-taker against them. None of the bowlers above him better his strike rate of 11.6. Three more wickets will see him go joint-third, five more joint-second – but still a distance away from Adil Rashid’s 42.
- Sri Lanka have won ten and lost nine of their T20Is against West Indies, but only two of those wins have come on West Indian soil.
- Sri Lanka have lost each of their last five T20Is, making this their leanest patch in the format since the first half of 2022. The last time they lost more than five in a row (eight) was in 2017; there was a string of eight losses between October 2019 and March 2021, but that was broken up by a solitary rain-abandoned fixture.
