RSWS 2022: Sanath Jayasuriya guides Sri Lanka Legends to final

Sri Lanka Legends beat West Indies Legends in the second semi-final clash of the Road Safety World Series 2022 tournament on Friday to set the final clash against India. Sri Lanka Legends put a challenging 173-run target for the Caribbean side while batting first. And then bowlers impressed to restrict West Indies on just 158/7 in 20 overs.

West Indies, who won only two group-stage matches, won the toss and decided to bowl first at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur. The in-form opener Mahela Udawatte smashed 15 runs off 11 balls and got caught out on Daren Powell’s delivery in the third over. The legendary batting all-rounder Sanath Jayasuriya played a crucial knock of 26 runs off 19 balls before getting out on Krishmar Santokie’s delivery. 

Sri Lanka lost both captain Tillakaratne Dilshan and wicketkeeper Upul Tharanga early and were struggling at 83/5 in 10.2 overs. But Ishan Jayaratne (31) and Jeevan Mendis (25) kept Sri Lanka in the game. Isuru Udana smashed 16 runs off 11 balls in the end overs to help Sri Lanka score a challenging total of 172/9 in 20 overs. For West Indies, Santokie and Devendra Bishoo took two wickets each.

Sri Lankan bowlers leave it late to earn a deserving 14-run win

West Indies captain Brian Lara started explosively with four boundaries but Nuwan Kulasekara clean bowled him for 17 runs in the third over. Then in-form batters Dwayne Smith and Narsingh Deonarine formed a big 45-run partnership for the second wicket to put some pressure on the Asian giants.

Jayasuriya dismissed Smith (23) in the ninth over to give Sri Lanka a break they needed and bowled out Kirk Edwards on the next delivery to turn the tables. Dilshan then removed veteran wicketkeeper-batter William Perkins in the next over to put Sri Lanka in complete control of the game.

But Devnarine kept smashing from the other end and managed to drag West Indies closer to the target.  Kulasekara dismissed him in the 18th over to end West Indies’ hopes to reach the finals. Deonarine scored the highest 62 runs off 39 balls with the help of four fours and four sixes. Jerome Taylor put some effort in the last two overs and scored an unbeaten 19 runs off 15 balls but Sri Lanka managed to defend the target and won the game by 14 runs. They will now face India Legends in the final clash at the same venue on Sunday (October 1).