Bristol, June 21 (IANS) West Indies continued their unbeaten run in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup with a five-wicket victory over Sri Lanka at the County Ground in Bristol on Sunday, riding on captain Hayley Matthews’ incisive new-ball spell before overcoming a few stumbles in the chase to reach the 99-run target in 16.1 overs. The result lifted West Indies to three wins from as many matches, while Sri Lanka were left to rue another batting collapse and a series of costly lapses in the field.

After electing to bowl, Matthews ensured West Indies seized control almost immediately. She struck with the opening over by removing Vishmi Gunaratne for one with a sharp return catch, then returned to dismiss Chamari Athapaththu for two and Harshitha Samarawickrama for a duck in the space of four deliveries. Sri Lanka were reduced to 9/3 inside three overs and spent the remainder of the innings trying to rebuild.

Imesha Dulani briefly counterattacked with 17 off 19 balls, while Kavisha Dilhari attempted to stabilise the innings with a composed 21 from 20 deliveries. The pair put together a useful stand before Chinelle Henry broke through by removing Dulani, after which Aaliyah Alleyne produced a fine caught-and-bowled effort to send back Dilhari.

Sri Lanka slipped deeper into trouble when Ashmini Munisar trapped Kaushani Nuthyangana lbw for a first-ball duck, leaving the innings in tatters. Nilakshika Silva then offered the only sustained resistance, top-scoring with 30 off 26 balls and guiding the lower order in an attempt to drag Sri Lanka towards a competitive total.

Kawya Kavindi contributed a patient 17, but regular wickets prevented Sri Lanka from building any momentum. Karishma Ramharack cleaned up the tail with a three-wicket haul, while Mithali Ayodhya was run out during a mix-up as Sri Lanka were dismissed for 98 in 19.4 overs.

Chasing a modest target, West Indies began steadily through Matthews and Deandra Dottin before Sri Lanka found a way back into the contest. Matthews looked comfortable for her 17 before being run out by a direct hit from Nilakshika Silva after attempting a risky single. Dottin struck two boundaries during her 12 but was caught at backward square leg off Nimasha Meepage, reducing West Indies to 36/2 at the end of the powerplay.

Sri Lanka tightened the screws further when Chamari Athapaththu dismissed Shemaine Campbelle following a successful review for a faint edge, while Kavisha Dilhari delivered her best over of the match by removing Jahzara Claxton and Chinelle Henry off successive legitimate deliveries. At 74/5 in the 12th over, West Indies had briefly opened the door for an unlikely Sri Lankan comeback.

However, the chase never spiralled out of control thanks to the calm presence of the experienced Stafanie Taylor. Anchoring the innings with an unbeaten 26, Taylor absorbed the pressure before rotating the strike effectively alongside Jannillea Glasgow, who remained unbeaten on 10 as the pair stitched together an unbroken stand to take West Indies home.

Sri Lanka’s hopes were further dented by a series of missed opportunities in the field. At least three catches went down during the chase, while a couple of run-out chances also went begging. The visitors also leaked 23 extras, including wides, byes and leg-byes, significantly easing the task for the West Indies despite the regular wickets.

Dilhari finished with 2/22, while Athapaththu and Meepage picked up a wicket apiece, but Sri Lanka’s spirited bowling effort ultimately could not compensate for their below-par total.

West Indies eventually completed the chase with 23 balls to spare, underlining the value of their disciplined bowling effort earlier in the evening. Matthews’ decisive burst with the new ball laid the foundation for victory, while Taylor’s composed finish ensured the Caribbean side maintained their perfect start to the tournament and strengthened their push towards the semifinals.

Brief Scores: Sri Lanka 98/10 in 19.4 overs (Nilakshi Silva 30, Kavisha Dilhari 21; Hayley Matthews 3-15, Karishma Ramharack 2-15) lost to West Indies 99/5 in 16.1 overs (Stafanie Taylor 27, Hayley Matthews 17; Kavisha Dilhari 2-22, Nimasha Meepage 1-18) by 5 wickets.

–IANS

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