DAMBULLA, Sri Lanka — In a thrilling opening match of their three-game T20 series, West Indies achieved a remarkable five-wicket victory against Sri Lanka. The standout performers were openers Brandon King and Evin Lewis, whose impressive partnership of 107 runs came off just 55 balls on Sunday.

After winning the toss, West Indies captain Rovman Powell opted to bowl first at the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium. Sri Lanka managed to set a challenging target of 179 runs for the loss of seven wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

In response, the West Indies successfully reached the target, scoring 180 runs for the loss of five wickets with five balls to spare, thereby taking an early lead in the series.

Brandon King played a pivotal role in the chase, knocking a blistering 63 runs off just 33 balls, which included eleven boundaries and a six. Evin Lewis supported him well, contributing 50 runs from 28 deliveries, featuring four sixes and five fours. Their aggressive batting at times saw them scoring at a rate exceeding 13 runs per over, creating a strong foundation for their team’s success.

After Lewis was dismissed in the 10th over—caught by Chamindu Wickramasinghe off the bowling of Matheesha Pathirana—the Sri Lankan side managed to claim two more wickets for just 21 runs, briefly threatening West Indies’ chances. However, the middle order of West Indies held firm under pressure and guided the team to victory.

Pathirana emerged as a standout bowler for Sri Lanka, taking two wickets during the match. Earlier, Sri Lanka’s innings was spearheaded by captain Charith Asalanka, who scored 59 runs off 35 balls, and Kamindu Mendis, who contributed 51 runs from 40 balls. Asalanka struck nine fours while Mendis’s innings featured two sixes and five fours, helping set a competitive total.

For West Indies, fast bowler Romario Shepherd was effective, finishing with figures of 2 for 39. The second match of the series is scheduled to take place at the same venue on Tuesday.