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BANGALORE: Samuel Badree stifled Sri Lanka with an exceptional spell before Andre Fletcher hammered an unbeaten 84 as the West Indies cruised to a seven-wicket win over the defending champions in a Group I World Twenty20 match, here tonight.
The Caribbean side ticked all the boxes right from winning the toss to restricting Sri Lanka to 122 for nine and finally overhauling the target in 18.2 overs.
They now sit at the top of the table in Group I with two wins from as many
matches. Leg-spinner Badree tore into the Sri Lankan top-order by hitting the right areas outside the off stump with amazing consistency as he gave away only 12 runs in his four overs and accounted for three batsmen after opting to bowl.
Sri Lanka struggled to recover after losing half the side inside 10 overs and it was Thisara Perera’s fiery 40-run knock that gave them something to fight to for.
The huge crowd wanted to see the big-hitting Chris Gayle to bat but he did not come out to open after pulling his hamstring while fielding.
Fletcher was no Gayle
but he entertained the crowd with his power-hitting. (PTI)
score board
Sri Lanka innings
LD Chandimal† run out (Charles/†Ramdin) 16
TM Dilshan lbw b Brathwaite 12
HDRL Thirimanne c Fletcher b Badree 5
CK Kapugedera st †Ramdin b Badree 6
AD Mathews* c †Ramdin b Bravo 20
TAM Siriwardana c Gayle b Badree 0
NLTC Perera c Russell b Bravo 40
KMDN Kulasekara b Russell 7
HMRKB Herath run out (Bravo) 3
JDF Vandersay not out 0
PVD Chameera not out 0
Extras 13
Total 122/9
West Indies innings
ADS Fletcher not out 84
J Charles b Vandersay 10
MN Samuels st †Chandimal b Siriwardana 3
D Ramdin† b Siriwardana 5
AD Russell not out 20
Extras 5
Total 127/5
