Sri Lanka's women cricketers scored a hardfought 14-run victory against their West Indies counterparts in the fourth T20 International on Monday at the Queen's Park Oval in Port-of-Spain. The visitors posted a modest total of 94 for seven in their allotted 20 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat in overcast conditions, and then restricted the West Indies to 80 for nine. Despite the victory, the West Indies still hold an unbeatable 3-1 advantage in the five-match series which ends on Wednesday with the final T20 International on Wednesday (May 9) at the Queen's Park Oval in Port-of-Spain starting at 2 pm. Needing to win to restore their pride on Monday, the Sri Lankans were off to a watchful start under lights in humid conditions and a slow outfield, posting 17 for the first wicket with left-handed opener Yashoda Mendis topscoring with 21 with two fours.
However she received limited support from her teammates except from Deepika Rasangika with whom she shared a 34-run partnership for the second wicket but when she was run out by a direct hit from Sabrina Monroe, six wickets fell for just 11 runs. But Sri Lanka were rescued by a 32-run eighth wicket partnership between their captain/wicketkeeper Dilani Manodara and tailender Sripali Weerakkoddy who both ended undefeated on 14 runs. Pick of the West Indies bowlers was Shemaine Campbell who took two wickets fro 15 runs while Sabrina Munroe and Anisa Mohammed took one each. And despite their earlier mishaps in the field, the home team was aided and abetted by three run-outs which restricted the visitors on a Oval wicket which provided the spinners with some assistance. Needing 95 to win and take a commanding 4-0 lead in the T20 series, West Indies were set on course by opener Juliana Nero who hit four boundaries in a well-played innings of 42.
Nero and fellow opener Amanda Samaroo put on 25 for the first wicket before Samaroo was run out for nine by a smart throw from Madhuri Samudikka. Nero then combined with Shermaine Cambbelle to put on 27 for the second wicket but when she was out, dismissed by an accurate throw from Sripali Weerakkody, West Indies wickets fell regularly as they were bogged down by the stifling spin and sharp fielding of the Sri Lankans. Madhuri Samuddika finished with figures of three wickets for 11 runs in her four-over quota to spearhead her team's revival and cop the "Player-of-the-Match" award. Also sharing in the wickets was Chamani Senevirathne who had the miserly figures of two for ten in her four overs. The T20 series concludes on Wednesday with the visiting Sri Lankans eager to end their campaign on a winning note after losing the One-Day series and the T20 rubber when the West Indies won the third match of the five-match series on Monday. Today's match starts at 2 pm at the Queen's Park Oval.