By Srian Obeyesekere

Sri Lanka bulldozed a powerful West Indies batting machinery that had blown off the hosts in the opener by a decisive 73-run levelling spin haze ecstasy yesterday by a three-pronged Dunith Wellalage 3/9 magic, Skipper Charith Asalanka 2/6 and Wanindu Hasaranga 2/32 exploiting a turning track on a cornerstone half century by Pathum Nissanka before a highly expectant riotous home crowd at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium.

The West Indian precipitation set off by a compatible Lankan high of 162 for 5 off 20 overs perfected by a Pathum Nissanka back to big show plundering 54 off 49 in 9 cascading boundaries and 1 to the stands buttressed by Kusal Mendis’ run a ball 26 (2×4, 1×6), Kusal Janith Perera 24 off ,16 (3×4, 1×6) and new revelation Kamindu Mendis 19 off 14 (1×6, 1×4), climaxed by a 39:for 6 halfway mark with the visitors frontline of Brendon King snuffed out by Sri Lanka’s leg spin wonder Wanindu Hasaranga for 4, Evon Lewis taken out by Mahesh Theekshana for 7, opened the gateway for Wellalage.

That Wellalage delivered in as late advent of sixth change in crowning a long overdue induction to the short format, exemplified the all-rounder’s versatility in mesmerizing batsmen in a reminder of how he tore through mighty Sharm-Kohli powered India not so long ago.

Sri Lanka 162 for 5 (Nissanka 54, Kusal Mendis 26, Shepherd 2-23) beat West Indies 89 (Powell 20, Wellalage 3-9, Asalanka 2-6, Theekshana 2-7) by 73 runs