West Indies coach Daren Sammy has declared a "moral victory" for his team despite losing the T20I series 2-1 to Sri Lanka. His sharp remarks came after the final match, in which Sri Lanka clinched a nine-wicket win on a spinning track, raising questions about the home team's reliance on such pitches. Sammy voiced his concerns, particularly regarding the development of Sri Lanka’s fast bowlers, suggesting that prioritizing spin-friendly surfaces could harm their long-term success.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka defended the strategy, emphasizing the team’s strengths in spin bowling, while also recognizing the need to improve their fast-bowling depth.

Sammy's criticism of Sri Lanka’s spin-focused strategy

After West Indies’ series defeat, Sammy expressed frustration over Sri Lanka's shift to spin-dominant pitches for the final two matches. He argued that although Sri Lanka may have won the series, the change in conditions suggested a reaction to West Indies’ solid performance on better batting wickets in the opening match.

Sammy's main contention was that the spinning tracks favored Sri Lanka’s spinners and sidelined their fast bowlers, which could hinder their long-term development. He pointed out that with the 2026 T20 World Cup being co-hosted by Sri Lanka, the ICC would likely oversee pitch conditions, meaning Sri Lanka wouldn’t always have the luxury of playing on spin-friendly surfaces.

“For us, to see the last two games, and the nature of the wicket from what it was at the start, I thought we actually won the contest,” Sammy remarked, referring to the way West Indies challenged Sri Lanka despite being the away team and lacking their full squad.

Sammy further questioned whether this tactic truly benefited Sri Lanka’s fast-bowling unit, noting that players like Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara barely had a chance to bowl on good wickets. He believed that developing fast bowlers should be a priority for Sri Lanka if they want to succeed on the world stage in diverse conditions.

Sri Lanka’s captain defends the focus on spin

While Daren Sammy voiced his concerns, Sri Lankan captain Charith Asalanka was unperturbed, stating that Sri Lanka’s strength have traditionally been spin bowling, and they intended to stick with it.

“Sri Lanka’s strength has always been spin, and we still believe that it’s with spin that we will be able to win the most,” said Asalanka after the series victory. He explained that the pitches were tailored to suit the team’s strengths, and given the quality of Sri Lanka's spinners, it made sense to lean on them for success.

Asalanka’s point is valid, as Sri Lanka boast an enviable spin attack, featuring the likes of Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Dunith Wellalage. However, the captain also acknowledged the need for fast bowlers to improve. “We have a lot of fast bowlers on our bench. Today you saw Nuwan Thushara and Matheesha Pathirana, and they bowled well when called upon.”

While Sammy was critical of the conditions, one fact remained clear: Sri Lanka's batters outperformed West Indies across the series. The hosts scored over 160 runs in each game, even on turning wickets, showcasing their adaptability and consistent performance.

Asalanka defended the nature of the wickets, explaining that despite the increasing spin in the second and third games, Sri Lanka’s batters were able to post competitive scores. In the final T20I, they comfortably chased down 163 within 18 overs.

“We were expecting a spinning wicket in the first game as well, but it didn’t play as we expected. Then in the second game, it turned a lot more, but we still managed to score 162,” Asalanka noted.

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The series also revived an ongoing debate within Sri Lankan cricket about balancing short-term success with long-term development. While Sri Lanka have found success on spinning tracks, there are concerns about how well this strategy will serve them on the global stage. Asalanka remains confident that the team's batting unit is equipped to handle better wickets and higher scores, but for now, the focus remains on playing to their immediate strengths.

He stressed that Sri Lanka must continue developing their fast-bowling options to be able to compete in various conditions across the world, not just on home turf.