West Indies showed in the first T20I match, that despite everything that is wrong with cricket in the country, the shortest format remains in their wheelhouse. This means the victory in the first game was not a fluke and by all means, the visitors would love to have a go at Sri Lanka again to get the series in their bag.
Sri Lanka were not too bad in the series opener either. Kamindu Mendis and Charith Asalanka both scored, what they thought were, match-saving fifties after the top-order collapsed like a house of cards. But West Indies postponed the collapsing drama to the middle-order and used the powerplay to turn the game into a sheer one-sided affair. Both Brandon King and Evin Lewis scored 74 runs in the first six overs, after which the road to victory was pretty straightforward for the Windies. Sri Lanka, although did try to make amends toward the end of the innings and even took the game to the last over, it was too late for damage control.
Team Overview:
West Indies dominated the early part of both innings. With the ball, they were able to get rid of the Sri Lankan top three cheaply. With the bat, their openers took the host bowlers to cleaners with the fiery knocks they played. The middle order, however, failed to carry the rhythm. In their defense, it is not easy to navigate through the middle stages against Sri Lanka’s spinners, that too, in Sri Lankan conditions.
Sri Lanka’s top five, all, have the potential to go big against any opposition. Barring Kusal Perera and Charith Asalanka, the remaining three have had pretty decent red-ball recently. But their most dangerous bet still is Kamindu Mendis, who has been red-hot this year. His bowling skills paid off for Sri Lanka in the first match as well, giving his team a much-needed breakthrough with Brandon King’s wicket.
Head-to-Head Matches:
Sri Lanka and the West Indies share quite a lot with each other. For one, both Island nations have played 16 shortest-format games head-to-head, with both teams winning eight games each.
Weather and Pitch Report:
Even though the venue has only hosted a handful of T20I matches, Dambulla is generally a high-scoring ground where breaching 200 will not be too big of a task. Unlike other venues in Sri Lanka, pacers get more favored here than spinners. There is rain forecasted for the day at the venue. However, by the time the game starts, the clouds will clear out, giving the teams a chance to decide the fate of the series.
Prediction:
Both teams match each other when it comes to skill at the moment. It’s difficult, really, to say who is better than the other, especially in the shortest format of the game. It is a matter of who gets the upper hand early in the game. However, West Indies currently are riding high on morale which will give them a chance to outdo Sri Lanka once again.
Where to Watch:
You can watch the 2nd T20I game between Sri Lanka and West Indies by tuning in to the following:
Sri Lanka: Supreme TV, Ten Cricket, Sri Lanka Cricket’s YouTube channel (Live streaming)
West Indies: Rush
Pakistan: Ten Sports
India: FanCode App, Sony LIV
Bangladesh: T Sports
Middle East, North Africa, and South East Asia: Cricbuzz
Sub-Saharan Africa: SuperSport
