PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – A valiant, unbroken 24-run, eighth wicket partnership between Shemaine Campbelle and Tremayne Smartt fired West Indies Women to a series-winning three-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the third Twenty20 International here Sunday.
However, Campbelle stroked a superb unbeaten 27 from 23 balls and Smartt got 12 from eight balls, as West Indies got home in the last over with five balls to spare.
The victory was the third straight for the hosts after they won the doubleheader at Kensington Oval in Barbados last week.
Winning the toss and batting, Sri Lanka got a top score of 22 not out from Deepika Rasangika as they reached 77 for eight.
They were pegged back by fast bowler Subrina Munroe (2-12), off-spinner Stafanie Taylor (2-16) and left-arm seamer Shanel Daley (2-17) all of whom took two wickets apiece.
Seamer Sripali Weerakkody (3-23) then stunned the hosts with a lethal opening burst with medium pacer Chamani Seneviratne (2-8) giving excellent support.
All West Indies’ top batsmen fell cheaply, as Taylor went for 10, Deandra Dottin departed for a first-ball “duck” and Daley perished for five. When Anisa Mohammed holed out in the deep trying to clear long-off in the 13th over, it seemed all over for West Indies.
But Campbelle and Smartt rallied the side in a stand that lasted just 17 balls before Smartt sealed the deal with an off-side boundary off the first ball of the final over.
