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Bulawayo - Niroshan Dickwella and Kusal Mendis both hit 94 to set Sri Lanka up for a formidable total in their triangular series clash with the West Indies at Queens Sports Club on Wednesday.
The pair shared in a 107-run partnership for the third
wicket, as Sri Lanka racked up 330 for seven after losing the toss and being
put in to bat by the West Indies.
Scores in the series, which also involves hosts Zimbabwe,
had been low in the first four games, with most sides showing caution in the
early part of their innings.
But Sri Lanka reversed that trend as Dickwella and
Dhananjaya de Silva overcame the early loss of Kusal Perera to score at better
than a run a ball in the opening powerplay.
The duo put on 105 for the second wicket before de Silva was
caught and bowled by Kraigg Brathwaite for 58.
Dickwella and Mendis capitalised on that platform, keeping
the momentum going until West Indies captain Jason Holder broke the stand by
trapping Dickwella lbw.
Mendis also fell agonisingly short of a hundred when he
edged a delivery from Ashley Nurse through to the wicketkeeper.
Despite those setbacks, Sri Lanka finished strongly as they
added 45 runs in the last five overs, with captain Upul Tharanga falling for a
brisk 26 off the final ball of the innings.
Both sides went into the match with seven points in the series, three more than Zimbabwe, knowing that victory would assure either of them a place in Sunday's final regardless of the outcome in Zimbabwe's game against West Indies on Friday.
