Sri Lanka vs West Indies, ICC T20 World Cup 2016: As it happened
Over 18: West Indies 116/3 Andre Fletcher 84 (64), Andre Russell 10 (6)
Chameera in the attack as Sri Lanka drop another catch in the outfield. Kulasakera the culprit as he hovers under the ball for an eternity before letting it slip between his hands. This is the second let-off that West Indies have had. Six runs of the over and seven more to get.
Over 17: West Indies 110/3 Andre Fletcher 79 (59), Andre Russell 9 (5)
Now Russell gets into the party. A brilliant hit for four in the third ball after Fletcher had his bat changed. Fletcher, after getting back into the strike showed that his new bat was no slouch as he hit another boundary to take him to 79. Everyone waiting for someone to hit the winning runs and get on with it.
Over 13: West Indies 72/3 Andre Fletcher 53 (39), Andre Russell 0 (1)
Fletcher has his 50. A brilliant 50 in the absence of Chris Cayle who is out with a hamstring injury. West Indies may look to open with him in the next game if Gayle's injury is prolonged. meanwhile, Ramdin has been sent back to the pavillion by Siriwardana as he tries to heave the ball into the stands. West Indies need to be cautious here. Five of the over.
Over 5: West Indies 39/0 Andre Fletcher 28 (19), Johnson Charles 10 (11)
Herath is continuing his spell but has failed to stop West Indies in getting across for singles. Five singles from the opening five balls before Fletcher hits him for a brilliant shot for four into the offside. Absolutely astonishing batting.
Over 5: West Indies 39/0 Andre Fletcher 28 (19), Johnson Charles 10 (11)
Herath is continuing his spell but has failed to stop West Indies in getting across for singles. Five singles from the opening five balls before Fletcher hits him for a brilliant shot for four into the offside. Absolutely astonishing batting.
Over 4: West Indies 30/0 Andre Fletcher 22 (16), Johnson Charles 7 (8)
Vandersay, who is in for Lasith Malinga is into the attack. What a chance for him to get the selectors attention. And he had a chance to do just thatwith his second ball but Kapugadera spilled a simple chance at midwicket. Sri lanka have to take these opportunities if they have to give themselves a chance. But only one run from the over, coming from the spilt opportunity.
Over 3: West Indies 29/0 Andre Fletcher 22 (12), Johnson Charles 6 (6)
Now Charles is at it. Not one to be left behind, he hits a sumptuous shot for a boundary past deep square to keep West Indies ticking over at well over the required run rate. Kulasekara has to adjust his length here or he may well be in for more punishment. So both teams have used three different bowlers in the opening three overs. Albeit conceding a wide he heeded the captain's request and kept the line tight ending the over while giving away only six runs.
Over 2: West Indies 23/0 Andre Fletcher 22 (10), Johnson Charles 1 (2)
SIX!! Fletcher is in the mood for this today. Who needs Gayle? Another heave over long off and West Indies are looking to do their run-rate a major favour. FOUR!! Another boundary. Good play by Fletcher here as he gently defends the last ball to give Charles the strike for the next over and get his bearings back.
Over 1: West Indies 13/0 Andre Fletcher 12 (4), Johnson Charles 1 (2)
Fletcher starts off West Indies' chase with a conservatively timed shot past midwicket. He wont mind those as the field is slick enough to take it into the hoardings. SIX!! A brilliant shot yet again by Fletcher who is back o the strike after exchanging a single each with Charles. A run from the fifth ball takes Charles back into the middle but he defends the next ball to put Fletcher back to the strike for the next over.
We are back with some disturbing news to say the least. Chris Gayle has suffered an injury and will not be coming out to open the innings. A club spokesman has said that the injury is not serious but we will see how West Indies fare in this ostensibly innocuous chase without their star man. may as well keep him fit for the tournament ahead.
Over 20: Sri Lanka 122/9 Jeffrey Vandersay 0 (1), Dushmantha Chameera 0(0)
And that is that. Sri Lanka finish their innings at 122 . Herath tried to take a quick single but waas caught just short of his crease. Perera back in the strike tried to heave one over the ground but was caught at long on. Vandersay, the last batsman to come in managed only a single from the last ball.
Over 19: Sri Lanka 118/7 Thisara Perera 38 (26), Rangana Herath 2(1)
Perera is at it again. After being given the strike on the first ball, he hammers the ball past midwicket for his fifth boundary of the innings. A gem of an innings which would give SL some hope in what has been an ignominious performance by the subcontinent side.
WICKET!! Well there goes Kulasakera! A good supporting innings but could not do much to overtrump the incompetence of the batsmen. Herath comes in and hits the last ball for a couple. Eight of it.
Over 18: Sri Lanka 110/6 Thisara Perera 33 (23), Nuwan Kulasekara 6(6)
Perera has to take it upon himself to take the Sri lankan innings to a respectable total at this point. He obliges with a four of the second ball with a good shot past backward point. SIX! He follows that up with a brilliant shot over deep square leg. Brings up the 100 for Sri lanka but does it smell like too little too late for the Lankans? We will see.
A single on the fourth ball allows Kulasakera the strike, who swings the ball into mid-wicket for two runs and retains the strike with a single. 16 of the over. Brilliant for Sri Lanka.
Over 17: Sri Lanka 94/6 Thisara Perera 22 (20), Nuwan Kulasekara 2(3)
So what happened there? Kulasakera is in the middle now in what is ostensibly Sri Lanka's last recognised pair in the bating order. Three runs from the final four balls and coupled with a wide in the opener, thats only four runs coming from the 17th over. With the pitch the way it is, dont expect Gayle to have to extend his arms too often.
Over 16: Sri Lanka 90/5 Thisara Perera 21 (18), Angelo Matthews 20 (31)
Brathwaite has given Sri lanka a massive let-off by bowling a no-ball which was dispatched for four. The ball slipped from his finger sna was above waist height but a cruel outside edge took it past the third man boundary for four. Sri Lanka deserve some luck in all honesty. The free hit was a complete waste with only a single coming of it. Nine runs from the over.
Over 15: Sri Lanka 81/5 Thisara Perera 15 (13), Angelo Matthews 18 (29)
Well Perera seems to have got into the groove of it. Another great shot from a poor delivery by Benn. A single from the second ball by Matthews allowed Perera to get back on strike and he made the most of his presence. A single from the next ball allowed Matthews back in the mould who decided to give the strike back. A single from the last ball. Eight runs from it.
Over 14 Sri Lanka 73/5 Thisara Perera 9 (10), Angelo Matthews 16 (26)
And Finally1 Sri Lanka have managed to break the shackles. Perera hits a magnificent shot past long off to pick up their first boundary in what feels like a decade in the second ball. Russell hasn't been the most economical of bowlers thus far but has been more than compensated for his profligacy by his teammates, mostly Badree.
However, they failed to build on their opening flash and finished the over with two more singles. Only six from it.
Over 13: Sri Lanka 67/5 Thisara Perera 4 (5), Angelo Matthews 15 (25)
Four dot balls by Sulieman Benn as Matthews managed to get a single in the fifth ball to give Perera the strike, who hasn't been able to get on strike much this game. He keeps the strike with another single. 13 overs gone. Only 2 runs from it.
Over 12: Sri Lanka 65/5 Thisara Perera 3 (4), Angelo Matthews 14 (20)
Bravo is continuing in the meantime and gives away two runs in what has to be the first lapse in concentration for what has otherwise been a flawless performance by WI. Matthews and Perera are still dealing in singles but feels like its only a matter of time before one decides to take the initiative and tries to take the bowlers to the cleaners. A thick outside edge gives Matthews two runs in the fifth which is turning to be a marginally productive over for Sri Lanka. Nine runs of it with Matthews keeping the strike with a single from the last ball.
Over 10: Sri Lanka 54/5 Thisara Perera 2 (2), Angelo Matthews 7 (10)
Dwayne Bravo in the attack and West Indies are well and truly on top of this tie. A dot from the first ball and two singles from the next couple. Angelo Matthews looks to be biding his time but they have to put on the pressure at some point. two runs from the fifth ball as Matthews placed the ball astutely at mid-wicket and takes a single from the last ball to keep the strike.
Over 9: Sri Lanka 49/5 Thisara Perera 1 (1), Angelo Matthews 3 (5)
it is all going downhill for Sri Lanka, who have lost another wicket with Badree the prime culprit yet again. Kapugadera tries to heave the ball over the fence but is found outside the crease and is stumped astutely by Ramdin. Three balls later new batsman Siriwardena prods outside the stump and is taken at slip by Chris Gayle who gets his first taste of action in front of his home crowd. What a piece of bowling by Badree who is already a prime contender for the Man of the Match award.
Meanwhile, Thisara Perera, who is the new batsman manages to scamper across for a run to prevent a double wicket maiden. Matthews returns the favour by rotating the strike in the last ball. Is there any way back for Lanka?
Over 8: Sri Lanka 47/3 Chamara Kapugedera 6 (9), Angelo Matthews 2 (4)
Brathwaite is back in the attack. it is a weird approach to the innings from Sri Lanka who are struggling to rotate the innings in the middle with boundaries having dried up. Three singles after the first two balls ended in dots with a wide sandwiched in between. Brathwaite ends the over with a dot. Only four runs coming off it.
Over 4: Sri Lanka 30/1 Lahiru Thirimanne 0 (2), Dinesh Chandimal 14 (12)
Fourth over in. Fourth bowler into the attack but it has worked for West Indies here. Brathwaite has dismissed Dilshan with a peach of a delivery in his opening ball and the Lankans have all to do now to get back into the contest. A single from each of the next three balls but Chandimal has come to the party with a brilliant six to ease the pressure. Ends the over with a single but Brathwaite should be happy with what he has achieved.
Over 3: Sri Lanka 20/0 Tillakaratne Dilshan 12 (9), Dinesh Chandimal 6 (9)
Sulieman Benn is in the attack after Russel was taken to the dryers by Dilshan. Starts the over with three dots before conceding a single to Dilshan. Chandimal gets the strike but can only defend the last two balls. Only one from the over and Sri Lanka are in trouble.
Over 2: Sri Lanka 19/0 Tillakaratne Dilshan 11 (5), Dinesh Chandimal 6(7)
Samuel Badree darts in for the second over andopens with three dot balls against Chandimal who is yet to find his feet. He manages to get Dilshan into the striker in the fourth ball who again takes a single to get Chandimal back into the strike. The batsman gets his bearings right and hits the last ball for a four past the backward od square.
Over 1: Sri Lanka 13/0 Tillakaratne Dilshan 10 (4), Dinesh Chandimal 1 (2)
Tillakaratne Dilshan and Dinesh Chandimal are in the middle. Chandimal played the first ball for a single and gave the strike to an in form Dilshan who hit a four and six to give Sri Lanka the start they needed. A brilliant hitdeep square leg for the six and the boundary wasnt too bad either. Two leg byes and a dot to end a productive over for Sri Lanka.
Meanwhile confirmation on Malinga
Jeffrey Vandersay will join Sri Lanka World T-20 squad in India as the replacement for Lasith Malinga. #WT20
— Sri Lanka Cricket (@OfficialSLC) March 19, 2016
The pitch has a tinge of green on top which should make for some encouragement for the bowlers early on. But the batsmen should have a peach of a game with the pitch expected to ease out and give the hitters everything to play for. Another bad day in the office for the bowlers it seems.
Looks like we are in for some entertainment with the flurry of hard hitters at our disposal.
TEAM NEWS!! West Indies have reportedly fielded an unchanged eleven for the fixture while we are still waiting news on Sri Lanka.
For Sri Lanka, loss of Lasith Mlinga to a knee injury will be a major blow to their title chances. The bowler has been ruled out of the tournament with a date not set for his recovery as yet. The team from the subcontinent have won the T20 World Cup only once, but were involved in three finals, more than any other nation in this tournament. The same goes for their performance in the 50 over format, where they have been in the finals five times, but have been lucky only once.
Both the teams come into the game having won their opening games and it is their chance to steal a march on South Africa, who have only just beaten Afghanistan in a gruelling encounter in the other Group 1 match scheduled earlier today.
So who is going to have the final laugh? Will it be a swashbuckling Dilshan, who hit 83 against Afghanistan or Chris Gayle, who terrorized the England attack with a brilliant 100. Keep your eyes glued here with live over by over updates and the latest score.
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