SL are on the rise. True, most wins have come at home. But in recent past, they have struggled at home as well. So, they will certainly take a lot of confidence from this series win. They have the momentum and they are making good use of it. A good and healthy Lankan cricket side augurs well for international cricket as they play a very attractive brand of cricket. Just like their opponents who have lost the series despite winning the first game. Their spinners were out muscled by Hasaranga and co. That I guess made most of the difference. But that's some learning as well for a West Indian side which is also pretty young. That's it from this series. But we will keep bringing you more action. See ya soon! Bye bye for now...
Charith Asalanka: Top-order batted really well. Thus, team performed really well. Throughout the series, I am talking about India series also. We have played well. We needed some momentum and we got the momentum in the second game of the series. I wasn't worried much. I thought our top-order batted well. Nissanka and Mendis made a plan and it worked. I am very happy. It is good to win a series. I want to thank every fan of Sri Lankan cricket.
Rovman Powell: To be honest, we had enough runs. We would have taken 160 on a turning wicket at the start of the game. If we would have controlled the powerplay better, we could have made a come back. SL spinners completely out bowled our spinners. I think it is a lot of positives. My guys gave good efforts in these conditions. Our batters did well. Thanks to the people of Sri Lanka. They have been very good to us. They have been very welcoming.
Pathum Nissanka | Player of the Series: He had a plan going in. The powerplays were vital. It is about keeping a clear head while playing 3 formats. (translated from Sinhalese by Roshan Abeysinghe).
Kusal Mendis | Player of the Match: I played really well. Nissanka played well in the first six overs. I could plan better. Little bit slow wicket. I knew how to play in these conditions. We tried to play normal cricket in the first 6 overs. It is hard to play the spinners on this deck.
The openers of Lanka had a plan in mind and they executed brilliantly. Nissanka took them on and Mendis followed soon. KP batted with aplomb as well. Mendis and Perera notched up fifties and Lanka never allowed control of the game to drift away. Earlier, Lanka lost a little bit of the control with the ball after Powell and Motie
22:13 Local Time, 16:43 GMT, 22:13 IST: A dark horse, which had never been thought of, rushed past the grandstand in sweeping triumph. SL were identified as the dark horses after the loss in the first game. They were seen through similar prisms in the ODI series against India. And against England in the Tests. But this team knows how to come back and how! Not to forget they blanked the Kiwis in Tests at home. They are on a roll. They haven't had a great time at home
17.6
Alzarri Joseph to Kusal Perera, FOUR, to fine leg
17.5
Alzarri Joseph to Kusal Mendis, 1 run, to long-on
17.4
Alzarri Joseph to Kusal Mendis, no run, that's a corker! Hits the right length outside off and Kusal Mendis was looking to poke but got beaten outside off
17.4
Alzarri Joseph to Kusal Mendis, wide
17.3
Alzarri Joseph to Kusal Perera, 1 run, to deep mid-wicket, the partnership between Kusal Perera and Kusal Mendis is now
17.2
Alzarri Joseph to Kusal Perera, FOUR, fuller ball, 88 mph, gift of a delivery on the pads and nudged fine for a four. Kusal Perera brings up his fifty and that too off only 34 balls.
17.1
Alzarri Joseph to Kusal Perera, 2 runs, drags one down wide of the man at
Alzarri Joseph [2.0-0-25-0] is back into the attack
16.6
Shepherd to Kusal Perera, 1 run, to long-on
16.5
Shepherd to Kusal Perera, FOUR, to deep mid-wicket
16.4
Shepherd to Kusal Mendis, 3 runs, to sweeper cover
Another injury? Rutherford managed to save the four. But his left palm jammed into the ground with the ball