Kusal Mendis powered Sri Lanka to their first-ever T20I series win against the West Indies with a convincing nine-wicket triumph in the third and final match on Thursday. The hosts chased down a target of 163 with 12 balls to spare, sending the packed Dambulla crowd into jubilation.
Kusal Mendis was the hero of the night, scoring an unbeaten 68 off 48 balls, which included five boundaries and three sixes. “Happy to get the team over the line,” Mendis said after the match. “Not the easiest pitch to bat on, but these are conditions that we are used to playing.” Mendis had a brief scare when he was on 44, but Roston Chase failed to hold onto a challenging return catch, allowing the Sri Lankan opener to continue his masterful innings.
Opening with Pathum Nissanka, Mendis helped Sri Lanka get off to a blazing start. The duo put on a 60-run partnership in just 5.2 overs, with Nissanka smashing 39 from 22 balls, including seven fours and a six, before falling to a low delivery from Gudakesh Motie.
After Nissanka’s departure, Mendis was joined by Kusal Perera, who delivered an exceptional performance despite battling cramps. Perera scored an unbeaten 55 off 36 balls, registering his 15th T20I half-century. Together, Mendis and Perera crafted an unbroken 106-run stand, guiding Sri Lanka to a historic series win against the higher-ranked West Indies.
The West Indies, opting to bat first, faced early trouble as they slumped to 68-5. However, a crucial 54-run partnership off 26 balls between captain Rovman Powell and Gudakesh Motie lifted the tourists. Motie was aggressive, smashing three consecutive sixes and a four off Dunith Wellalage in the 15th over, but he was eventually stumped by Mendis off Wanindu Hasaranga.
Sri Lanka’s spin department once again proved to be their trump card, with Maheesh Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga each picking up two wickets. Powell, reflecting on the loss, acknowledged their struggle against spin. “I thought we had enough runs on the board,” he said. “The Sri Lankan spinners completely outplayed us. We knew spin was going to play a key role and Sri Lanka were far better.”
The series began with a five-wicket win for the West Indies, but Sri Lanka bounced back emphatically with a 73-run victory in the second game. This win caps a stellar period for the Sri Lankan team under new head coach Sanath Jayasuriya. In the last three months, the team has claimed a series of remarkable victories, including an ODI series win over India after 27 years, a Test win in England after a decade, and a historic two-Test series sweep against New Zealand earlier this month—their first in 15 years.
