SL vs WI, 1st T20I Highlights: West Indies beat Sri Lanka by 5 wickets

Chamindu Wickramasinghe to Evin Lewis, SIX! This one is even better. Chamindu Wickramasinghe fires it full, on off. This is in the blockhole. Evin Lewis reads it well and smokes it over the bowler's head for a maximum.

Chamindu Wickramasinghe to Evin Lewis, FOUR! Nicely played. Around the wicket this time. A short ball, angled in around off. Lewis picks it up nicely and pulls it over mid on. The ball races away to the boundary.

Change. Chamindu Wickramasinghe comes back into the attack now. 

Maheesh Theekshana to Brandon King, FOUR AGAIN! Finds the gap again. King is in brilliant touch here. He comes down the track again. This time gets to the pitch of it and hits it wide of mid off. Even Theekshana is going for runs. 

Maheesh Theekshana to Brandon King, FOUR AGAIN! Finds the gap. He steps out and Theekshana sees that. This is fired wide outside off. King still manages to hit it wide of cover and it races away. 

Maheesh Theekshana to Evin Lewis, Now takes one and the fifty is up for his side! On the pads. This is worked through square leg for one. 

Maheesh Theekshana to Evin Lewis, FOUR! Finds the gap! Shorter and on off. Lewis hits it hard into the ground. This finds the gap and it races away to the fence. 

Maheesh Theekshana to Evin Lewis, Tossed up nicely on middle. Defended. 

Maheesh Theekshana to Evin Lewis, On middle. This is worked to mid-wicket. 

Asitha Fernando to Brandon King, FOUR! Top edge and it races away. He does not end it well. It ends up being another good over for the West Indies. This is short and on middle. King looks to pull but this goes off the top edge and over the short fine leg fielder. 

Asitha Fernando to Brandon King, Well bowled again! Sees King step out and bowls a pace off ball outside off. King looks to cut but misses. Can he end the over well now? It has been a good one so far. 

Asitha Fernando to Brandon King, FOUR! Fortunate boundary! King clears his front leg. This is full and on the pads. He looks to flick but it goes off the inner half down to the fine leg fence. 

Asitha Fernando to Brandon King, Well bowled again! Another slower one outside off. King looks to cut but it goes off the under edge to the keeper. 

Asitha Fernando to Brandon King, Well bowled! Sees King make room and goes wide and slower. King chops it to point. Need more dots to build pressure. 

Asitha Fernando to Evin Lewis, Good running! Length and on off. This is pushed to cover for one.

Maheesh Theekshana to Evin Lewis, Full and on the pads. Lewis looks to flick but misses. It hits the pad and rolls on the leg side. A leg bye taken. 

Maheesh Theekshana to Evin Lewis, Way down the leg side. Wided. 

Maheesh Theekshana to Brandon King, On middle. This is punched down to long on for one. 

Maheesh Theekshana to Brandon King, Flatter and on middle. King defends it back to the bowler. 

Maheesh Theekshana to Brandon King, Two more! Angled into the pads. King works it through square leg for two. 

Maheesh Theekshana to Brandon King, FOUR MORE! West Indies are running away with the game here. King steps out. This is shortish and on off. It is hit hard down to long off. Boundary. 

Maheesh Theekshana to Brandon King, Flatter and on middle. This is pushed down to long on for two.

West Indies have been quite expressive with the bat. Will this force Charith Asalanka to go for an early change? Yes, it does. Time for some spin. Maheesh Theekshana comes into the attack now.

Asitha Fernando to Brandon King, Just the single but that brings an end to a big over! Short and on the body. This is pulled through square leg for one.

Asitha Fernando to Brandon King, FOUR! Up and over! This is brilliant batting! Sri Lanka under a lot of pressure here. King steps out. This is full and on off. It is lofted over mid off and it goes to the fence. 

Asitha Fernando to Brandon King, WIDE! That's a poor ball. It is way too short and down the leg side. King looks to pull but misses. 

Asitha Fernando to Brandon King, FOUR! Hammered down the ground! King makes room. This is on a good length and around off. He slams it past mid off and it races away. This is a flying start. 

Asitha Fernando to Brandon King, Almost! This stays a touch low! On middle. Shortish. King looks to pull but misses. This goes over the middle pole. 

Asitha Fernando to Brandon King, Better! Slightly fuller and on middle. This is defended back to the bowler. 

Asitha Fernando to Brandon King, FOUR! Pulled away! King joins the act now. West Indies are off to a flier! On middle. Shortish. This is pulled over the mid on fielder and it races away to the fence. 

Asitha Fernando to share the new ball.

Chamindu Wickramasinghe to Evin Lewis, FOUR MORE! 11 from the first over then! This is full and outside off. Lewis looks to go over covers. He does not time it that well but hits it well enough to clear the infield. A boundary. 

Chamindu Wickramasinghe to Evin Lewis, SIX! Bang! That's where Lewis likes it. He's off the mark in style. This is short and on the pads. He hammers it over square leg and it goes all the way. 

Chamindu Wickramasinghe to Evin Lewis, A little too high! On the pads. Lewis looks to flick but misses. He gets hit high on the pads. 

Chamindu Wickramasinghe to Evin Lewis, Got the last one to move away, this time this one holds its line. Lewis pushes it to mid on. 

Chamindu Wickramasinghe to Evin Lewis, Lovely stuff! Length and around off. This lands and shapes away. Lewis looks to push at it but is beaten. 

Chamindu Wickramasinghe to Brandon King, Good ball to begin with! Goes very full. It swings away from middle. King looks to flick. It goes off the outer half through point for one. West Indies are underway! 

We are back for West Indies' reply. Sri Lanka players can be seen to be in a huddle, before they spread out on the field. Followed by Brandon King and Evin Lewis who walk out to open for West Indies. It will be Chamindu Wickramasinghe to start with the new ball.

... The Run Chase ...

Right then, West Indies batters have their task cut out. They need to get off to a flier, and make sure to stitch some valuable partnerships in the middle. Sri Lanka on the other hand, will be hoping to pick some early wickets and apply pressure from the get go. Do join us shortly for the second essay to find out how things pan out.

West Indies got off to a strong start with Romario Shepherd striking early inside the Powerplay, followed by Shamar Joseph adding another breakthrough. The spin pair of Roston Chase and Gudakesh Motie bowled tightly in the middle overs to control the run flow. Post the halfway mark, West Indies lost a bit of control over the run flow. Romario Shepherd came back stronger in the death overs and got an important wicket which ensured that Sri Lanka do not cross the 180-run mark. He stood out with the ball with his two wickets.

Sri Lanka posted a competitive total after a cautious start. Despite losing early wickets, they recovered through key partnerships in the middle overs. Charith Asalanka led from the front with a captain’s knock. Sri Lanka found themselves in early trouble after being put in to bat, with Nissanka and Kusal Perera falling quickly. However, the duo of Mendis and Kamindu steadied the ship with a 31-run stand, followed by an 82-run partnership between Kamindu and Asalanka. Although Kamindu Mendis was dismissed after his half-century, Asalanka continued to anchor the innings, finding a reliable partner in Bhanuka Rajapaksa to push the total into competitive territory. They could've even gotten to 190 if these two were on the crease till the final delivery.

Maheesh Theekshana finishes things off in style for Sri Lanka. A boundary off the very last delivery, and the hosts head into the break with the momentum on their side. West Indies started positively with the new ball, but might feel that they lost their way in the middle overs. 

Romario Shepherd to Maheesh Theekshana, FOUR! Up and over! Theekshana ends it with a boundary! Still though, that's a fine last over! This is full and outside off. It is lofted over cover for a boundary. 

Maheesh Theekshana comes out to bat now.

Romario Shepherd to Chamindu Wickramasinghe, OUT! RUN OUT! Importantly it's another dot! A slower one outside off. Chamindu swings but misses. They look to sneak a bye but the keeper hits the stumps at his end. 

Romario Shepherd to Chamindu Wickramasinghe, FOUR! He has clobbered that! A welcome boundary! A slower one. On middle. Chamindu waits and then slams it down to the long on fence. Top shot. 

Romario Shepherd to Chamindu Wickramasinghe, Three in a row now! Another short one. Quick and on middle. Chamindu looks to pull but misses. 

Romario Shepherd to Bhanuka Rajapaksa, OUT! A dot and now a wicket to begin the last over! Brilliant! A slower short ball on the body. This is pulled towards square leg. It is more off the splice. The fielder runs in, dives and takes it. Chamindu Wickramasinghe is the new man in.

Romario Shepherd to Bhanuka Rajapaksa, A fine slower one to begin with! Outside off. Rajapaksha looks to drive but is beaten.