BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

Jamaican all-rounder Shanel Daley extended her superb form as West Indies Women made a winning start to their five-match Twenty20 series by capturing the opening contest at Kensington Oval yesterday.

Daley top-scored with 48 from 28 balls to help fire West Indies up to 127 for seven off their 20 overs, after the hosts won the toss and batted.

In their turn at the crease, Sri Lanka were restricted to 104 for eight with Daley taking one for 21 from four overs of left-arm medium pace.

However, off-spinners Stafanie Taylor (2-19) and Anisa Mohammed (2-22) were the leading bowlers, picking up two wickets apiece.

Stafanie Taylor, leading the side in the absence of Merissa Aguilleira, put on 30 from 42 balls for the first wicket with Juliana Nero, who scored 22 from 35 balls.

Taylor, the world's top-ranked batsman, scored just 13 from 16 balls before she perished, caught and bowled in the seventh over by left-arm spinner Chandima Gunaratne.

Nero followed with the score on 51, bowled by medium pacer Chamani Seneviratne.

Daley, batting at number four, then engaged in a 39-run third-wicket partnership with Deandra Dottin who found some form with 30 from 25 balls.

The left-handed Daley spanked four fours and a six while Dottin struck two fours and a six, in an uptempo stand that required just 24 balls.

Once Dottin departed, Daley kept the innings together before she was out off the penultimate ball of the innings.

Off-spinner Shashikala Siriwardena was the best bowler with two for 24.

Fast bowler Subrina Munroe gave West Indies a successful start when she bowled Inoka Galagedara for four, with the score on 16 in the fifth over.

Opener Prasadani Weerakkodi and Yashoda Mendis then mounted a partnership of 32 for the second wicket to steady the innings.

While Weerakkodi scored 29 from 41 balls with a single four, Mendis got 11 from 14 balls.

Both were dismissed in the space of four balls with Daley playing a role on both occasions.

She bowled Mendis off the last ball of the 11th over and it was her throw that accounted for Weerakkodi via the run out route.

Siriwardena resisted with an unbeaten 33 off 24 balls but Mohammed and Taylor destroyed the middle order to dry up the runs.