Dilshan hammered eight boundaries during his innings of 56
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Sri Lanka opener Tillakaratne Dilshan blasted a quickfire 56 to lead his side to a comfortable 30-run win over the West Indies in the first Twenty20 International in Pallekele.
West Indies captain Darren Sammy would have been mulling over his decision to bat first as Dilshan and Kusal Perera amassed a 91-run partnership before Perera was caught by Sammy off the bowling of Kieron Pollard for 40.
Dilshan went on to score 56 off 37 balls, which included eight boundaries, before he was clean bowled by Pollard.
Shehan Jayasuriya thumped a rapid 36 during his 55-run stand with Dinesh Chandimal before Chandimal and Angelo Mathews put together an unbeaten 60-run partnership to help Sri Lanka finish on 215/3 off their 20 overs.
Chandimal ended up making 40 off 19 balls, which included four boundaries and two sixes, while Mathews remained undefeated on 37 off 13 deliveries, which included two boundaries and four sixes.
Pollard was the pick of the bowlers with two wickets, while Sunil Narine chipped in with one.
Chasing 216 to win, the West Indies stumbled right from the get-go and subsequently struggled to keep up with the required run rate.
Andre Fletcher walloped 57 off 25 balls, which included three boundaries and six sixes, but received no support from the rest of his team-mates, which led to the West Indies falling well short of their target.
Fletcher made a gutsy 57
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Sachithra Senanayake was the most successful bowler with four wickets, while captain Lasith Malinga and Milinda Siriwardana snapped up two wickets apiece and Jayasuriya and debutant Dushmantha Chameera claimed one wicket each.
Senanayake finished with figures of 4-46 off his four overs
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Sammy was disappointed to have lost the match, and said: “We were right there, but with better planning with the batting order we could have gotten closer. But well played to Sri Lanka. They posted a very big total, they put up more than 200. We always backed ourselves to chase down any total. Andre Fletcher played really well, Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo had a good partnership. But we lost wickets in clumps. Looking at the players in the T20 squad, there is a lot of experience and the players have played a lot of cricket in the format. Now we move to Colombo.”
Malinga was delighted to have taken a 1-0 lead in the series, and said: “Thanks to all the batsmen. They realised these conditions are hard to bowl in and they put up a good total for us. After that we knew they had good big hitters and everyone was planning [on] how to handle them. It was hard to bowl with a wet ball, but still at the end of the day I am in the winning side. Thank you for the bowlers and the batsmen. I realised even when the Test matches were going on Siriwardana took crucial wickets. Good all-round cricketer for Sri Lanka in the future. I am getting fit, need to do more for the national team and need to put in big performances before the [T20] World Cup.”
Senanayake was named Man of the Match, and said: “I am so happy to take the most wickets, it was so tough, it was raining sixes. It was the pressure of the situation. With the wet ball, it was hard to grip as well. I think I did well enough. The sixes are too easy for them, so I wanted to vary the pace and just keep them to singles. I knew if I bowled short of a length or fuller, they will hit me so I just wanted to change the pace.”