Hayley Matthews and Shemaine Campbelle essayed useful hands as West Indies completed a series-clinching win by six wickets in the final T20I against Sri Lanka at Hambantota. The visitors, who were swept 0-3 in the preceding ODI series and then lost the first of the three-match T20I leg, hit back well to end the tour on a high. In this series finale, they chased down a tricky target of 141 with a ball to spare.
West Indies began well in the chase with skipper Matthews and Stafanie Taylor adding 60 for the first wicket in eight overs before the latter fell LBW trying to swipe Kavisha Dilhari across the line. Matthews then stitched another 51-run partnership with Shemaine Campbelle. Kawya Kavindi’s double-strike at the end, including the wicket of Matthews for 49, complicated West Indies’ equation but they ran down the six runs required in the final over to clinch the win. Campbelle finished unbeaten on 41 off 30 balls.
Earlier in the day, asked to bat, Sri Lanka’s total of 141/7 was built on a 39 (38) from veteran Chamar Athapaththu while Harshitha Madavi and Kavisha Dilhari played vital hands. Having reached a score of 91/2 midway through the 14th over, the hosts stuttered past 140 – a decent score but ultimately not enough.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka Women 141/7 in 20 overs (Chamari Athapaththu 38; Aaliyah Alleyne 2-25, Afy Fletcher 2-25) lost to West Indies Women 142/4 in 19.5 overs (Hayley Matthews 49, Shemaine Campbelle 41*; Kawya Kavindi 2-27) by six wickets
