West Indies Seek Series Sweep Against Sri Lanka to Bolster T20 Rankings

With the upcoming T20 World Cup approaching in less than 18 months on the sub-continent, West Indies all-rounder Roston Chase has emphasized the need for the team to tackle spin bowling more effectively. This assertion follows the team’s 73-run defeat to hosts Sri Lanka in the second T20 International held in Dambulla.

Chase remarked on the challenging nature of the wicket, which led to the West Indies side being dismissed for 73 runs. He noted, “The wicket for the match was quite tough, which saw us being bundled out. We need to address our play against spin.”

In the ongoing series, the West Indies are aspiring for a 3-0 sweep over Sri Lanka. Chase, who currently serves as the T20 vice-captain, stated that such a victory would significantly aid in reclaiming the number one spot in the ICC‘s Men’s T20I rankings by the end of 2024. The West Indies commenced the series with a five-wicket win in the opening T20I, leading 1-0 in the best-of-three series.

Chase, reflecting on the team’s performance, expressed optimism, “We would love to get a 3-0 win in the series because we want to challenge for that number one spot by the end of the year. So every point counts.” He added that the team is eyeing strong performances in both the current series and the forthcoming T20Is against England.

Currently, the West Indies stand third in the T20 rankings with 255 points, trailing behind Australia and India with 257 and 268 points, respectively. Chase underscored the importance of maintaining momentum, stating, “If we could get the 3-0 victory and finish the year strong in the other series to come, I think we will be at that number-one spot when the year ends.”

Despite the triumph in the first game, Chase pointed out areas needing improvement. He mentioned, “We played a good game of cricket, but after the good start from [Brandon] King and [Evin] Lewis, we fell down a bit during the middle overs.” He emphasized the need to avoid losing wickets in clusters to enhance the team’s performance.

On the bowling front, Chase acknowledged the effective start in the Power Play but called for more consistent wicket-taking throughout the middle overs to ease pressure on the bowlers during the latter stages.