West Indies Women Rally Late To Defeat Sri Lanka Women
West Indies Women and Sri Lanka Women are set to begin a T20 international series following the conclusion of their one-day international contest, where the West Indies avoided a series sweep with a late victory.
The teams move into the shorter format with West Indies captain Hayley Matthews in focus after a match-winning century against Sri Lanka that, according to Wisden, also brought her level with a world record for ODI centuries by a women’s captain. Caribbean National Weekly reported that Matthews is looking to carry momentum into the T20 leg as the West Indies shift into “T20 mode.”
The latest matchup comes after Sri Lanka controlled much of the ODI series before the West Indies produced a response in the final game. Radio Jamaica News Online reported the West Indies’ win prevented a clean sweep and provided a lift heading into the T20s. Caribbean National Weekly also highlighted a “face-saving victory,” pointing to contributions from Matthews and Stafanie Taylor in rewriting the narrative late in the ODI leg.
Attention now turns to the opening T20I, with outlets previewing squads and key players on both sides. Female Cricket published match information and viewing details for the first T20I, along with separate spotlights on players to watch for each team.
The shift from 50-over cricket to T20s matters for both programs because the format change can quickly reset a series storyline. A team that has struggled in longer matches can regroup around a different game plan, while a side that has had success must adjust to the sharper demands of powerplay scoring, death bowling, and tighter margins in the field.
For the West Indies, the immediate task is translating an ODI comeback into consistent T20 execution, particularly with senior leaders involved in the late ODI turnaround. For Sri Lanka, the challenge is maintaining the form that fueled ODI success while meeting the tactical demands of the shortest international format, where individual overs and small partnerships can decide outcomes.
What happens next is the first T20I, which begins the next phase of the tour and sets the tone for the rest of the series. Team selections, roles at the top of the order, and bowling combinations will come into sharper view once play begins, as both sides establish how they intend to attack in the first six overs and close out innings at the back end.
With the ODI chapter closed by a West Indies win and the T20 series about to start, both teams enter the opener with a fresh format, renewed stakes, and little room for mistakes.
