Hayley Matthews produced another all-round masterclass as West Indies Women defeated Sri Lanka Women by five wickets with 23 balls to spare in Bristol, booking a crucial victory in the Women’s T20 World Cup. The West Indies captain starred with the ball first, claiming 3/15 in a superb four-over spell that ripped through Sri Lanka’s top order.
Sri Lanka’s innings never recovered from Matthews’ early strikes. Vishmi Gunaratne fell for 1(4), Chamari Athapaththu managed just 2(6), and Harshitha Samarawickrama departed for a duck as Sri Lanka slumped to 9/3 inside three overs. Chinelle Henry supported Matthews brilliantly with 1/12, while Aaliyah Alleyne (1/15), Ashmini Munisar (1/16), Afy Fletcher (1/24) and Karishma Ramharack (2/15) ensured the pressure never eased. With wickets tumbling regularly, Sri Lanka struggled to build partnerships.
Kavisha Dilhari fought for 21(20), while Nilakshika Silva top-scored with 30(26), attempting to steady the innings during a difficult middle phase. Kawya Kavindi chipped in with 17(28), but a lack of momentum and frequent breakthroughs meant Sri Lanka were bowled out for just 98 in 19.4 overs.
The modest chase was expected to be straightforward, but Sri Lanka’s bowlers briefly made a contest of it. Matthews scored 17(17) before being run out, while Deandra Dottin added 12(16) as West Indies reached 36/2. Chamari Athapaththu and Kavisha Dilhari then sparked hopes of a surprise comeback. Athapaththu removed Shemaine Campbelle for 4(12), while Dilhari struck twice in quick succession, dismissing Jahzara Claxton and Chinelle Henry in consecutive deliveries. Her figures of 2/22 from four overs drew praise from fans despite the defeat.
At 70/5, West Indies had lost momentum and social media quickly filled with reactions wondering whether Sri Lanka could pull off an unlikely turnaround. However, the experienced Stafanie Taylor ensured there would be no collapse. Taylor anchored the chase with an unbeaten 27*(25), calmly steering her side through the tense phase before finishing the job alongside Jannillea Glasgow, who remained 10*(15). Although the batting display was far from fluent, West Indies never lost control of the equation thanks to the small target in front of them.
One statistic that stood out during the chase was the 23 extras conceded by Sri Lanka, including 13 wides and eight byes. With West Indies chasing just 99, those additional runs significantly eased the pressure on the batting unit and reduced the need for risk-taking against a disciplined Sri Lankan attack. In the end, the headlines belonged to Matthews. Her match-winning 3/15 set up the victory, earned her the Player of the Match award, and helped West Indies secure a comfortable five-wicket win despite a few hiccups during the chase.
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