Windies hoping to combat Sri Lanka spin threat

Leg-spinner Akila Dananjaya proved a big threat for Sri Lanka in the opening T20 International.
Leg-spinner Akila Dananjaya proved a big threat for Sri Lanka in the opening T20 International.

ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Captain Kieron Pollard believes the battle between West Indies’ power-hitters and Sri Lanka’s spinners will define the remainder of the Twenty20 International series, as the home side look to wrap up a series victory by winning today’s second contest.

West Indies won the opening T20 International here Wednesday by four wickets but not before leg-spinner Akila Dananjaya snatched a hat-trick to turn the run chase on its head.

And with another leg-spinner Hasaranga de Silva also creating problems with a three-wicket haul, Pollard said there would be conversations in the West Indies camp about how best to combat the threat.

“We will go back and have a look at how the dismissals were for certain individuals,” Pollard explained.

“And if you put it into cricket terms, you would want your right-handers facing the off-spinners and you want your left-handers in the middle – we have two strong left-handers in the middle in Chris (Gayle) and (Nicholas) Pooran – facing the leg-spinners as well.

 “We know what the challenge is going to be throughout the entire series so it’s just a matter now of trying to combat that and see if we can continue to come out on top.”

Pollard – who struck a record-equalling six sixes in the sixth over – top-scored with an 11-ball 28, Jason Holder struck 29 not out while openers Evin Lewis (28) and Lendl Simmons (26) weighed in at the top in a 52-run stand.

However, left-handers Gayle and Pooran, along with all-rounder Fabian Allen got first-ball ‘ducks’, creating disruption in the Windies’ pursuit of 132, before Holder saw them home.

Pollard said with a quick turnaround between the second game, there would not be enough time to make adjustments in practice sessions.

“It will only be conversations. There’s not much practice you can actually do and we would’ve put in the physical practice for a couple days leading into the tournament,” the all-rounder pointed out.