WI vs SL, 1st T20I: Holder, Joseph power West Indies to series-opening win

West Indies captain Shai Hope hit an unbeaten half-century after Jason Holder’s decisive spell with the ball as the hosts beat Sri Lanka by seven wickets in the first T20I at Sabina Park on Thursday to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

Chasing 148, West Indies completed the task with four balls to spare, though Sri Lanka’s bowlers ensured the match remained alive until the final over. Hope anchored the chase with a composed 65 not out from 54 deliveries and steered his side home after a sensational start from the opening pair.

Hope and Brandon King immediately put Sri Lanka on the back foot with 67 runs off just 38 balls. King, who survived a few early scares, made 37 off 22 deliveries before falling to Wanindu Hasaranga. Aggressive overs kept West Indies firmly in front despite the slow nature of the surface.

Sri Lanka battled through the middle overs, led by Hasarang’s 2 for 32 and the disciplined spell of Maheesh Theekshana, who conceded just 20 runs from his four overs. Eshan Malinga also impressed with figures of 1 for 26 as the visitors slowed down the scoring significantly and took the chase to the final over.

However, with six runs needed from the last six balls, Rovman Powell ended the match quickly, blasting Dilshan Madushanka over deep midwicket for a six to seal victory.

Earlier, Sri Lanka failed to capitalize on a promising start after Kusal Mendis provided early impetus with a blistering 36 off 23 balls. The visitors raced to 43 without loss before Holder turned the match in West Indies’ favour.

Introduced in the fifth over, Holder struck immediately by dismissing Pathum Nissanko and trapped Lasith Croospulle lbw with the very next delivery after a successful check. Sri Lanka slumped from 43 for no loss to 56 for 3 by the end of the Powerplay and never fully recovered.

Kamindu Mendis tried to rebuild the innings with a fighting 51 off 39 balls, while Dasun Shanaka chipped in with a useful contribution during a stabilizing partnership. But the West Indies maintained control through the middle overs, with Roston Chase and the seamers limiting scoring opportunities.

Holder returned to claim his third wicket and finished with excellent figures of 3 for 18, earning the Player-of-the-Match award. Sri Lanka managed just 147 for 9, with their total ultimately proving insufficient as Hope calmly steered the West Indies to a winning start to the series.

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Issued by:

Saurabh Kumar

Published on:

June 12, 2026 12:12 PM IST