West Indies produced a dramatic late surge to beat Sri Lanka by five wickets in the third T20I at Sabina Park, chasing down 170 with two balls remaining after a match that had seemed to be slipping away. The hosts finished on 170 for 5, with Sherfane Rutherford unbeaten on 54, Rovman Powell scoring 33, Shimron Hetmyer making 32 and Jason Holder delivering the decisive late blows with a rapid 21 off five balls. The result gave West Indies the series and extended Sri Lanka’s wait for a T20I series win in the Caribbean.
For most of the chase, Sri Lanka appeared to have the game under control. Their spinners, led by Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana and Dunith Wellalage, applied pressure through the middle overs on a surface that offered grip and slower pace. West Indies reached only 110 for 4 after 16 overs, and the target still looked difficult with 60 runs needed from the final 24 balls. But the hosts transformed the contest with a stunning endgame, scoring 60 runs off just 22 deliveries to complete one of their most thrilling finishes in recent memory.
The key partnership came between Rutherford and Powell, who added 81 runs from 53 balls and kept West Indies alive when the chase threatened to stall. Rutherford was dropped twice during his innings, and those missed chances proved costly for Sri Lanka. Powell’s aggressive intent helped shift momentum, but the finishing touch came from Holder, whose brief but explosive cameo sealed the victory and sparked celebrations at the ground.
Earlier, Sri Lanka had posted 169 after a competitive but not overpowering batting effort. Pathum Nissanka gave them a positive start, while Wellalage played the most impactful innings of the match for the tourists, scoring 43 off 28 balls in a mature display that lifted the total. Kamil Mishara, Kamindu Mendis and Dasun Shanaka contributed useful runs, and Wanindu Hasaranga added a quickfire support act in a lower-order stand that helped push Sri Lanka toward a defendable score.
Shamar Joseph was the standout bowler for West Indies, finishing with a career-best 5 for 33. He struck at crucial moments, including the difficult final over of the powerplay and the last over of Sri Lanka’s innings, ensuring the visitors did not fully accelerate at the death. His spell kept the target within reach and eventually earned him the Player of the Match award.
Sri Lanka’s innings was marked by several promising phases, but West Indies held firm when it mattered. In the end, the Caribbean side’s power-hitting and composure under pressure proved decisive, turning what looked like a controlled chase into a memorable heist.
