Fletcher leads Windies Women to series-levelling win

HAMBANTOTA, Sri Lanka (CMC):

WEST INDIES Women drew level 1-1 in their Twenty20 International series against Sri Lanka yesterday after their three most capped players, led by Afy Fletcher, spurred them to a six-wicket win under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in a rain-affected match.

The Caribbean side reached a DLS revised target of 99 from 15 overs after a couple stoppages for rain at the Rajapaksa Stadium. Their captain Hayley Matthews led the way with 29, and former captain Stafanie Taylor ushered them to their first win on the trip with 28 not out.

This followed a destructive spell from Fletcher of four for 23 from 3.2 overs that had the Sri Lankans reeling on 89 for four in 15.2 overs when rain brought an abrupt end to the innings and time considerations came into play.

Matthews then helped give the innings a solid base in an opening stand of 44 with Taylor before left-arm spinner Sachini Nisansala bowled her in the seventh over.

The chase of quick runs also conceded the cheap wickets of vice-captain Shemaine Campbelle, left-hander Qiana Joseph, and Chedean Nation, before Taylor and Aaliyah Alleyne waltzed the visitors over the finish line.

Earlier, Fletcher ended a thriving first-wicket stand between Sri Lanka Women’s captain Chamari Athapaththu and fellow opener Vishmi Gunaratne.

The Grenadian leg-spinner bowled Athapaththu for the top score of 26 in the eighth over, and Imesha Dulani for six in the 10th to leave Sri Lanka wobbling on 52 for two.

Fletcher then struck twice in the 14th over when she got Harshitha Samarawickrama for 14 and Gunaratne for 24 in the span of three balls, to keep a lid on the scoring before the rain intervened.

West Indies Women lost the first T20I by four wickets on Monday at the same venue where the final T20I will be played tomorrow.