West Indies held their nerve in a tense chase to defeat Sri Lanka by five wickets in the final T20I and seal the series at home on Sunday.

Asked to bat first, Sri Lanka posted a competitive 169 all out in their allotted 20 overs after several batsmen made useful contributions. Opener Pathum Nissanka provided an early spark with 26 off 17 balls, while Kamil Mishara added 28 and Kamindu Mendis struck 20.

The innings was anchored by all-rounder Dunith Wellalage, whose aggressive 43 from 28 deliveries, featuring six boundaries and a six, lifted Sri Lanka during the closing stages. Wanindu Hasaranga also chipped in with a brisk 21 off 13 balls.

However, Sri Lanka lost wickets at crucial intervals and were unable to fully capitalize on a promising platform. Fast bowler Shamar Joseph starred for the hosts, claiming 5 for 33 in a match-winning spell. He received solid support from Matthew Forde, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein and Roston Chase, who shared the remaining wickets.

Chasing 170, West Indies suffered an early setback when captain Shai Hope fell for a duck. Sri Lanka tightened their grip further by reducing the hosts to 53 for 4, with Hasaranga and Maheesh Theekshana applying pressure through the middle overs.

Shimron Hetmyer counterattacked with 32 off 19 balls before Rovman Powell contributed a valuable 33. The decisive partnership came through Sherfane Rutherford and Holder.

Rutherford remained unbeaten on 54 from 40 deliveries, striking three fours and four sixes, while Holder blasted an unbeaten 21 from just five balls, including three towering sixes.
West Indies reached 170 for 5 with two balls to spare, completing a memorable victory and securing the series after a hard-fought contest between the two sides.

A brilliant unbeaten half-century from Kamil Mishara and a destructive late cameo by Dasun Shanaka guided Sri Lanka to a convincing 37-run victory over West Indies and levelled the three match T20 series.

Sri Lanka recovered strongly after a shaky start to post an imposing 194 for 6. Pathum Nissanka fell early for seven, while captain Kusal Mendis made a quick-fire 31 off 19 balls before becoming one of three wickets claimed by Shamar Joseph. When Pavan Rathnayake was dismissed for one, Sri Lanka were struggling at 43 for 3 inside seven overs.
Mishara then steadied the innings with a mature knock, combining caution with aggression. The left-hander remained unbeaten on 61 from 40 deliveries, striking four fours and three sixes. Kamindu Mendis supported him with 24 before Shanaka launched a spectacular assault in the death overs.

The former captain hammered 58 from only 24 balls, smashing five boundaries and four sixes at a strike rate above 240. His 103-run stand with Mishara completely changed the complexion of the innings and propelled Sri Lanka close to the 200-run mark.

Chasing 195, West Indies suffered an early collapse as Brandon King and skipper Shai Hope were both trapped leg-before wicket inside the first two overs. Shimron Hetmyer (36) and Rovman Powell (43) threatened to keep the visitors in contention with an aggressive partnership, but Sri Lanka’s bowlers struck at regular intervals.

Dushmantha Chameera delivered a match-winning spell of 3 for 9, while Wanindu Hasaranga picked up three wickets despite conceding runs. Dunith Wellalage claimed two wickets and Maheesh Theekshana added one as West Indies were bowled out for 157 in 18.1 overs.

The victory ensured Sri Lanka squared the series and set up an exciting decider on Monday.

Sri Lanka will begin its campaign at the 2026 Billie Jean King Cup by Gainbridge Asia/Oceania Group II tournament when the prestigious regional team event serves off in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on June 15.

The competition, which runs for six days at the National Tennis Centre, will bring together ten nations from across the Asia-Oceania region. Joining Sri Lanka in the battle for honours are Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong China, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, hosts Malaysia, Pacific Oceania, the Philippines, Singapore and Uzbekistan.

Teams have been drawn into two groups of five and will contest round-robin matches from June 15 to 19. The tournament will conclude with decisive play-off encounters on June 20 to determine promotion and relegation.

With two places available in the 2027 Asia/Oceania Group I competition, the stakes are high for all participating teams. Nations finishing at the bottom of the standings will face relegation to Group III.

Sri Lanka has entrusted a youthful squad with the responsibility of carrying the national flag at the tournament. The team includes Dinara De Silva (St. Bridget’s Convent), Yuhansa Peiris (Bishop’s College), Akeesha Silva (Newstead Girls’ College, Negombo), Annaya Norbet (Holy Family Convent, Bambalapitiya) and Sandithi Usgoda Arachchi (Musaeus College).

Guiding the side will be experienced coach Dineshkanthan Thangarajah, who has been appointed captain for the tournament. His role will be crucial as the young Sri Lankan players seek to make an impact against some of the region’s strongest teams.