Published: Mar 07, 2020, 09:15 AM (IST)
Edited: Mar 07, 2020, 09:15 AM (IST)
Andre Russell plundered six sixes in his manic 14-ball 40* as West Indies beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the second T20I in Pallekele to sweep two-match series 2-0 on Friday evening. Chasing 156, West Indies needed just 17 overs to overhaul the target thanks to opening blitz led by Brandon King before Russell applied the finishing touches.
After being put in to bat first, Sri Lanka struggled their way to a below par 155/6 at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. To their credit, they lost just one wicket in the Powerplay but Kusal Perera (15) and Shehan Jayasuriya (16) failed to explode.
Having lost six wickets for 106, it took some late flourish from Dasun Shanaka (31* off 24) and Thisara Perera (21* off 13) to push them to a respectable total. Their quest to the total was aided by some wayward bowling from West Indies who leaked 21 extras – 10 of them wides.
But the target was never going to impose a challenge for the powerful West Indies batting order.
Like Sri Lanka, they did lost opener Lendl Simmons (9) in the Powerplay but unlike their hosts, they teed off in the first six overs, hitting at 10 runs per over. King struck six fours and two sixes in his 21-ball 43 before being dismissed.
Rovman Powell scored run-a-ball 17 before Russell storm hit Sri Lanka. He belted six sixes and in the company of Shimron Hetmyer (43*) sealed the series-clinching victory with 18 deliveries to spare.
Brief Scores: West Indies 158/3 (Brandon King 43, Andre Russell 40*; Dasun Shanaka 1/10) beat Sri Lanka 155/6 (Dasun Shanaka 31*; Fabian Allen 2/24) by 7 wickets
