Bristol, June 21 (IANS) West Indies won the toss and elected to bowl against Sri Lanka in the 17th match of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup here at County Ground in a fixture that will probably decide the fate of Group B with a spot in the semi-final at stake.

West Indies head into today’s contest with momentum firmly on their side after opening their campaign with back-to-back victories. While neither win came without anxious moments, particularly their hard-fought escape against Scotland, they have still managed to collect four valuable points. Another success today would leave them well placed in the race for a semifinal berth from Group B.

Sri Lanka have recovered impressively after a difficult start to the tournament. Following a one-sided defeat against England, they produced one of the biggest surprises of the competition by toppling defending champions New Zealand. That result has revived their campaign, and another win this afternoon would draw them level with West Indies on points, adding another twist to an already competitive group.

The Caribbean side will also be wary of recent meetings between these teams. Earlier this year, Sri Lanka travelled to the West Indies and emerged with a 2-0 T20I series victory, underscoring their ability to trouble today’s opponents. Fresh from their confidence-boosting win over New Zealand, Sri Lanka will believe they have every chance of repeating that success on the global stage.

Winning the toss, Windies skipper Hayley Matthews said, “Going to have a bowl. Good chance to see what the pitch is doing. We probably didn’t bat well enough in that series (the one they lost to SL earlier this year). Conditions here are different and favour us more. Qiana Joseph is out. Munesar comes in. She comes in as an extra spinner to bolster the bowling. We feel we have enough firepower.”

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan captain Chamari Athapaththu said, “Feeling good. Would’ve batted first if we won the toss. Confidence is good. Just because we beat WI in WI doesn’t mean we can do that everytime. As professional cricketers we need to adjust according to the venue. One change for us.”

Playing XIs:

West Indies: Deandra Dottin, Hayley Matthews (c), Shemaine Campbelle (wk), Stafanie Taylor, Jahzara Claxton, Chinelle Henry, Jannillea Glasgow, Aaliyah Alleyne, Afy Fletcher, Karishma Ramharack, Ashmini Munisar

Sri Lanka: Chamari Athapaththu (c), Vishmi Gunarathne, Imesha Dulani, Harshitha Samarawickrama, Kaveesha Dilhari, Nilakshika Silva, Kaushini Nuthyangana (wk), Sugandika Dasanayaka, Kawya Kavindi, Nimasha Meepage, Mithali Ayodhya

–IANS

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