WEST Indies don’t need to reinvent anything at Sabina Park when they take on Sri Lanka in the second of the three Twenty20 Internationals at 7:30 tonight. They just need to replicate the execution from game one.

Jason Holder’s stumps-to-stumps plan and Captain Shai Hope’s unbeaten half-century guided West Indies to a seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka with four balls to spare on Thursday.

Winning the toss and batting first, Sri Lanka posted 147-9 from their 20 overs on a surface that offered something for the bowlers. Kamindu Mendis top-scored with a fighting 51, while Captain Kusal Mendis chipped in with a steady 36 to give the innings some shape.

But it was the West Indies seamers who dictated terms. Holder was miserly and lethal, claiming 3-18 from his four overs to choke the Sri Lankan batters. Shamar Joseph matched him for wickets, also finishing with 3-28 from his four, though he leaked a few more runs.

Between Holder’s control and Joseph’s pace, the Windies kept Sri Lanka from pushing past 150 and set up the chase nicely.

Then Hope made sure there was no drama in the chase. He walked in early and never left: 65 not out, carrying his bat right through to finish the game. No risks, no panic. Just control when West Indies needed it most as they finished on 149-3 from 19.2 overs..

That combo of Holder and Hope is Sri Lanka’s nightmare for game two. Holder squeezes with the ball, Hope anchors with the bat. If both fire again, the series is over.

Holder said his plan was simple once he read the pitch on Thursday.

“For me, I just saw the first couple overs and felt keeping the stumps in play was really important. I know these guys like to pick up a lot of shots into the leg side so I tried to hit the top of the stumps as much as I could and make it difficult for them to score,” Holder said in a post-match interview.

The milestone of 50 T20 wickets at home wasn’t on his mind either.

“No, I’m never aware of the stats, but it’s obviously a pleasing feeling. For me, it’s just to do well in any conditions — home or away — and ensure we can win more cricket games,” Holder said.

Hope and Brandon King put on 67 for the first wicket. King survived two scares — on four he was caught, only for the bowler to have overstepped, then on five he was given out leg before wicket and had to review to survive as replays showed the ball pitching outside of the line — before smashing 37 off 22 with two fours and three sixes. Wanindu Hasaranga bowled him and later removed Shimron Hetmyer for 17, but the damage was done. At 95-2 after nine overs, West Indies were still well ahead of the rate.

Holder admitted he wasn’t worried even as the chase went deep.

“I knew it was a tough wicket to start on, probably didn’t expect the game to go as deep as it did, but I was never worried. I backed the strikers to get us across the line at home,” Holder said.

Earlier, Sri Lanka came out firing, blasting to 43 without loss in just 4.1 overs and threatening to take the game away. But Holder flipped the script in a heartbeat, striking twice in back-to-back balls to silence the visitors and lift the crowd. He first sent Pathum Nissanka packing for 18 off 14, then had Lasith Croospulle leg before wicket for a duck, leaving Sri Lanka wobbling at 43-2 after 4.3 overs.

Joseph kept the pressure on. He bowled Pavan Rathayake for four off five balls then came back to snare the big fish — skipper Kusal. At 65-4 in the 7.4th over, the visitors went from flying to falling. Kamindu kept fighting, though. He reached his 50 off 39 balls, cracking four boundaries and clearing the ropes twice.