Sri Lanka women secure historic T20I victory over West Indies

(Colombo) - In a stunning display of bowling prowess, Sri Lanka Women clinched their first T20I victory over West Indies Women since 2015, powered by standout performances from Chamari Athapaththu and Inoshi Priyadharshani.

Athapaththu delivered a career-best bowling effort, claiming 4 wickets for 29 runs, while Priyadharshani contributed with 3 crucial dismissals to restrict West Indies to 134 for 8 in their allotted 20 overs. The Sri Lankan bowlers maintained pressure throughout, keeping the West Indian batters in check despite a spirited 30 from Hayley Matthews.

Chasing 135 for victory, Sri Lanka's innings was anchored by Vishmi Gunaratne's aggressive 35, which included six boundaries, before her dismissal provided a glimmer of hope for the visitors. Harshitha Samarawickrama (35) and Nilakshika Silva (17 not out) ensured there were no further hiccups as Sri Lanka reached the target with four wickets in hand and eight balls to spare.

Earlier in the match, West Indies suffered an injury setback when Stafanie Taylor had to be stretchered off after injuring her leg, only to return later in the innings. Despite efforts from Aaliyah Alleyne (26) and Afy Fletcher (14 not out) to accelerate the scoring towards the end, Sri Lanka held their nerve to secure a commanding victory.

The win not only gave Sri Lanka a 1-0 lead in the three-match series but also marked a significant breakthrough against West Indies in T20Is, following their clean sweep in the ODI series.