West Indies secured their third consecutive victory in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup, defeating Sri Lanka by five wickets in a low-scoring contest in Bristol on Sunday. Hayley Matthews starred with the ball, taking her second successive three-wicket haul to help restrict Sri Lanka to 99 runs.
Matthews' early strikes cripple Sri Lanka
Electing to field first, Matthews led the charge with three wickets in her first two overs. She dismissed Vishmi Gunarathne in the first over, then removed Chamari Athapaththu and Harshitha Samarawickrama in the next. Chinelle Henry chipped in with the wicket of Imesha Dulani, leaving Sri Lanka reeling at 23/4 at the end of the powerplay.
Nilakshika Silva, who had guided Sri Lanka to victory against defending champions New Zealand earlier in the tournament, attempted to stabilize the innings. She added 34 runs with Kavisha Dilhari, top-scoring with 30 off 26 balls. However, disciplined bowling from West Indies ensured Sri Lanka never gained momentum. Matthews finished with 3/15 in her four overs, while Karishma Ramharack took 2/15, and all West Indian bowlers picked up wickets.
West Indies struggle in chase but prevail
Chasing a modest target of 100, West Indies made heavy weather of the run chase. After a 28-run opening stand, Matthews was run out attempting a cheeky single, with Silva scoring a direct hit from mid-on. Deandra Dottin fell to Nimasha Meepage on the final ball of the powerplay, leaving West Indies at 36/2.
Sri Lanka's bowlers kept striking at regular intervals, with Kavisha Dilhari proving difficult to score off and finishing with 2/22. However, Stafanie Taylor played a steady knock of 27 not out, anchoring a 29-run partnership with Jannillea Glasgow to guide West Indies home with almost four overs to spare, finishing on 99/5 in 16.1 overs.
West Indies strengthen semi-final push
With this win, West Indies sit second in Group B, level on points with England but behind on net run rate. Their third straight victory has strengthened their push for a semi-final spot. The team's bowling depth and Matthews' all-round contributions have been key to their success in the tournament.
