Sri Lanka wrapped up a 2-0 series win over New Zealand after the third ODI was rained off in Pallekele.

Will Young (56 not out) and Henry Nicholls (46 not out) had the Black Caps trundling along nicely at 112-1 after 21 overs on Tuesday, with Tim Robinson having been dismissed for nine by Mohamed Shiraz (1-23).

But the rain closed in at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, and did not let up.

Eventually, the umpires had to call off play completely, denying New Zealand the chance to restore some pride after their opening two defeats.

Data Debrief: Rain sees the good run roll on

Sri Lanka have lost only one of their last nine ODIs (W6 T1) – an eight-wicket loss against West Indies (26 October 2024).

New Zealand's Young at least was able to celebrate a ninth ODI half-century, while Nicholls fell just short of a 17th 50 in the format.

Kusal Mendis' unbeaten 74 helped Sri Lanka clinch an ODI series win over New Zealand with a three-wicket victory in the second match.

Rain shortened the match to 47 overs a side, and Sri Lanka took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series with six balls remaining.

New Zealand's innings were disrupted by the weather, with Sri Lanka's spinners taking advantage of the slowed momentum around the stoppages despite Will Young's (26) steady start.

Mark Chapman (76) and Mitchell Hay (49) gave the tourists some hope, but Maheesh Theekshana (3-31) and Jeffrey Vandersay (3-46) took three wickets apiece as they halted New Zealand at 209, with Glenn Phillips (15) the only other batter to hit double figures.

After Avishka Fernando's early dismissal, Mendis was a mainstay for Sri Lanka and ultimately proved the difference.

Michael Bracewell (4-36) did his best to rally New Zealand, but they fell just short thanks to an eighth-wicket stand of 47 off 59 balls between Mendis and Theekshana.

Data Debrief: Running it back

It is the first time since 2012 that Sri Lanka have won an ODI series against New Zealand, while it is the first time they have won back-to-back ODIs against the Black Caps since November that year.

Sri Lanka also made a welcome return to winning ways at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium - they had lost their most recent match in this format at the venue to West Indies back in October.

Kusal Mendis and Avishka Fernando guided Sri Lanka to a 45-run victory via the DLS Method in the first match of their ODI series against New Zealand on Wednesday. 

On a rain-soaked day, the hosts ended their eight-match losing streak at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium with a dominant display from start to finish. 

After electing to bat, Sri Lanka were dealt an early blow when Pathum Nissanka (12) was caught by Nathan Smith from Jacob Duffy's delivery in the second over.

However, Kusal would join Avishka at the crease and put the hosts in control, with the pair putting on a 206-run stand. 

The duo's contribution formed the bulk of Sri Lanka's 324-5, with Sadeera Samarawickrama (five), Charith Asalanka (40) and Janith Liyanage (12 not out) concluding their innings.

New Zealand started well in their run chase through Will Young (35) and Tim Robinson (35) before the latter was stumped by Mendisb Theekshana in the 13th over. 

That kickstarted the tourists' collapse, with the dismissals of Young, Henry Nicholls (six), Mark Chapman (two) and Glenn Phillips (nine) leaving New Zealand 110-5 after 17 overs.

Michael Bracewell's 34 from 32 deliveries steadied the ship somewhat but the damage had been done, with the tourists falling short of their target by 45 runs. 

Data Debrief: It's coming home

Sri Lanka have won five of their last six multi-game bilateral men’s ODI series (L1), including each of their last two, and they got off to a perfect start in Dambulla.

The Lions' victory was their first in the format at the Rangiri Dambulla International Stadium since a seven-wicket win against Pakistan back in August 2014. 

They were helped by Kusal's knock of 143 from 128 deliveries, which was his fourth ODI century but his first on home soil since 2020. 

Tristan Stubbs' unbeaten 47 propelled South Africa to a three-wicket win over India in the second of their three T20Is.

South Africa were labouring on 66-6 but Stubbs took centre stage to inspire them to a series-levelling victory, leaving matters delicately poised ahead of the final two matches.

India were unbeaten in 11 T20Is heading into Sunday's contest at St George's Park, though a sluggish display with the bat saw them reach just 124-6 after 20 overs.

Only Tilak Varma (20), Axar Patel (27) and Hardik Pandya (39 not out) made a dent for India, as South Africa's bowlers kept things tight.

Yet the Proteas did not look set to capitalise on that good work with the ball as Varun Chakravarthy (5-17) blitzed through their top order.

Yet Stubbs offered the resistance, and a 42-run stand from 20 balls with Gerald Coetzee got South Africa over the line.

Elsewhere, New Zealand hit back to ensure they drew their two-match T20I series against Sri Lanka 1-1.

Having been well beaten in the opening match, the Black Caps won by five runs in a low-scoring encounter in Dambulla.

Lockie Ferguson took a hat-trick before he had to leave the field injured, as New Zealand successfully defended a total of 108.

Pathum Nissanka (52) plundered over half of Sri Lanka's runs as the hosts were skittled out for just 103, with New Zealand wicketkeeper Mitchell Hay making history.

Hay became the first wicketkeeper to play a part in six dismissals in a single T20I innings, surpassing the previous record of five set by Afghanistan's Mohammad Shahzad against Oman in 2015.

Sri Lanka defeated New Zealand by four wickets in the first T20I of their two-match series in Dambulla.

Captain Charith Asalanka scored an unbeaten 35 to help the hosts go past the 136-run target set by the Black Caps with an over to spare. 

After losing opener Kusal Mendis for a duck in the second over, Kusal Perera hit a quick 23 runs off 15 balls, while Kamindu Mendis also added the same amount to the scoreboard as Sri Lanka eased to victory despite losing six wickets. 

The tourists had struggled on a surface that aided Sri Lanka's spinners, with Dunith Wellalage (3-20), Wanindu Hasaranga (2-20) and Maheesh Theekshana (1-21) picking up six wickets between them. 

All-rounder Zakary Foulkes, who went on to get his career-best T20I figures of 3-20 with the ball, and Michael Bracewell both scored 27 runs for a youthful New Zealand side, which ultimately lost wickets at regular intervals and could not mount the big score needed to truly test Sri Lanka.

The two sides will meet again in the second and T20I match on Sunday before the first of the three one-day internationals at the same venue on Wednesday. 

West Indies white ball head coach Daren Sammy was pleased his side was able to register a win in the third and final ODI against Sri Lanka on Saturday but notes that his side must improve in two key areas ahead of their upcoming home series against England.

In a rain-affected game in Pallekele, the hosts batted first and made 156-3 off their 23 overs before the West Indies, chasing a revised target of 195, got to 196-2 with an over to spare, avoiding a series sweep and registering their first win in the format in 2024.

The performance today, particularly with the bat, showed Sammy what can be possible when his side commits to a plan, specifically batting with intent.

The batting was led by Evin Lewis and Sherfane Rutherford who finished not out on 102 and 50, respectively.

“Evin (Lewis), in his first game in three years, was just amazing and Rutherford has been good throughout the series. Those were two shining lights for us,” Sammy said in a post-match interview on Saturday.

With that said, Sammy also noted that his troops were not up to par with the ball or in the field and struggled in the first two games on spin friendly pitches.

“The way we fielded and the way we bowled throughout the series was not up to the mark and when we were challenged on spin friendly wickets, our batsmen did not respond,” he said.

“All in all, it’s good to finish with an emphatic win heading into the England series but a lot of learning from this trip,” he added.

The team will now turn their attention to three ODIs and five T20Is at home against England from October 31-November 17.

“I’m looking forward to it,” Sammy said.

“Something about West Indians, whenever it’s time to play England, they’re always up for the challenge. It’s a big rivalry series and it’s at home. We’ve done well at home over the past 12-18 months. Hopefully we can give a better display than what we did in Sri Lanka,” he added.

England last toured the West Indies from December 3-21 last year, losing the ODI series 1-2 and the T20I series 2-3.

West Indies ended their tour of Sri Lanka with a win as an unbeaten century from Evin Lewis helped them defeat the hosts by eight wickets via DLS method in the third and final ODI in Pallekele. 

Sri Lanka had secured the series with a five-wicket win in the second ODI on Wednesday, but Lewis’ unbeaten 102 off 61 balls gave the Windies a morale-boosting victory in the final ODI. 

West Indies had sent Sri Lanka to bat, but their innings was disturbed by rain in the 18th over. Upon returning to the crease after a five-hour delay, they were only given 5.4 overs to set a competitive total. 

The hosts managed 75 runs after the restart with Kusal Mendis headlining their innings with an unbeaten 56 off 22 balls as Sri Lanka finished with 156-3. 

Chasing a DLS-adjusted target of 195 in 23 overs, Lewis hit a swashbuckling hundred in his first ODI since 2021 with support coming from Sherfane Rutherford, who smashed an unbeaten 50 off 26 deliveries. 

West Indies reached the target with one over to spare, and they will gather some confidence from the win as they prepare for the ODI series against England starting on October 31. 

A fifth ODI hundred from Evin Lewis and a third consecutive half-century from Sherfane Rutherford propelled the West Indies to an eight-wicket DLS method consolation win over Sri Lanka in the third and final ODI at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

The West Indies, after winning the toss and electing to field first, restricted the Sri Lankans to 156-3 off the 23 overs that were possible due to rain.

Opener Pathum Nissanka made 56 off 62 balls while wicket-keeper/batsman Kusal Mendis also made 56*, with his coming off a swift 22 balls including nine fours and a six.

Avishka Fernando contributed 34 as Roston Chase and Sherfane Rutherford took a wicket apiece.

Set a revised target of 195 from 23 overs, the West Indians got to their target with an over to spare to avoid a series sweep and get their first ODI victory of 2024.

Evin Lewis was the star of the show with 102* off 61 balls including nine fours and four sixes, with the last of those sixes securing both the win and his third hundred against Sri Lanka.

Sherfane Rutherford was with Lewis in the end, finishing 50* off 26 balls after scores of 74* and 80 in the first two matches.

Captain Shai Hope and Brandon King contributed 22 and 16, respectively, as Dilshan Madushanka and Asitha Fernando shared the two Sri Lanka wickets.

Full Scores:

Sri Lanka 156-3 off 23 overs (Kusal Mendis 56*, Pathum Nissanka 56, Avishka Fernando 34, Roston Chase 1-20, Sherfane Rutherford 1-27)

West Indies 196-2 off 22 overs (Evin Lewis 102*, Sherfane Rutherford 50*).

With the disappointment of back-to-back losses hanging heavy in the air, the West Indies will enter Saturday’s final One Day International (ODI) against Sri Lanka, hoping to avoid a 3-0 sweep at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

In fact, West Indies captain Shai Hope was not shy to admit that this last contest in the three-match series is about more than just pride, it is about learning from mistakes and building resilience for the future.

The West Indies struggled with both bat and ball in the first two encounters, which they lost by five wickets. Hope acknowledges that those matches have exposed key areas that his side must improve upon, particularly their handling of spin and situational awareness under pressure.

“There are several factors we can point out, but I just think not adapting to the conditions fast enough was our main problem. Obviously, we didn't win the crucial stages of the game, and obviously, the spin department has been the only thing we have going right now for us. But yeah, the thing is, there are a lot of lessons that we need to take from the series. We can't change the past right now; we have to learn from it, and it's very important we do so quickly,” Hope said in a pre-game interview.

Hope emphasized that players need to improve individually and as a whole to support one another and create a solid, cohesive unit. He noted that achieving that level of synergy would take time but remained optimistic about the direction the team is headed.

“We have to keep trying. We have to keep finding ways to get better. I think it's more mental than anything at this point in time because skill work is skill work, yes, but we have to make sure we find ways to adapt as quickly as we can. One day of practice is not going to make us into the greatest batter or the greatest bowler ever. So there's more mental prep that we need to do right now at this stage and plan well,” Hope argued.

With the series outcome already decided, Saturday’s match will serve as a final test of character for the West Indies team, with fans and players alike hoping for a redeeming performance. However, to achieve that feat, the top order of the batting lineup will need to counter Sri Lanka's challenging spin attack, while the bowling unit will also have to be on point.

“Yeah, for sure, it has not been good enough. We asked the openers and the top-order batters to set the platform for the guys in the middle, and it's clear to see we didn't do that in this series, and we had to depend a lot on the lower order, which they played really well, in my opinion. But if we get those good starts or if we get that good start in this last game here, I think it would be a whole change to the context of the game,” Hope noted.

That said, the skipper singled out middle-order batsman Sherfane Rutherford, who scored 74 and 80 in the first two games, including sharing in an historic 119-run nine-wicket partnership with Gudakesh Motie in the second contest.

“He's been playing really well. He's been putting a lot of work off the field, and a lot of people won't see that, but the way he's progressed and matured for his career so far, I think, is tremendous. I think there's a lot that he can take from these few performances that he's had so far,” Hope said.

“He's shown that he's capable of batting and adapting to those conditions that we speak about in the team room. But, yeah, I think he's got a lot more to offer, and it's great to see he's getting those big scores now and all that hard work he's putting in is coming to fruition,” he ended.

West Indies suffered a series-defining loss in the second One-day International (ODI) against Sri Lanka, as they again went down by five wickets in Pallekele on Wednesday.

The defeat, which resulted from another disappointing batting performance, saw Sri Lanka taking an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, leaving the Caribbean side with mere hopes of salvaging pride in the final game on Saturday.

After a dismal batting collapse that saw the West Indies at a shocking 58-8 in the rain-affected contest, which was reduced to 44 overs per team, it was an historic ninth-wicket partnership between Sherfane Rutherford (80) and Gudakesh Motie (50 not out) that added a glimmer of respectability to their total.

The pair put together 119 runs, the highest-ever ninth-wicket stand in West Indies' ODI history, with Rutherford smashing four sixes and seven fours in his 82-ball knock, while Motie’s maiden ODI half-century came off 61 balls and included six boundaries, as they lifted the side to 189.

However, the damage had already been done by Sri Lanka’s disciplined bowling attack led by spinners Wanindu Hasaranga (4-40) and Maheesh Theekshana (3-25). Seamer Asitha Fernando had 3-35. Their batting unit led by an unbeaten 62 from captain Charith Asalanka then surpassed their target with some degree of comfort.

Scores: West Indies 189 (36 overs); Sri Lanka 190-5 (38.2 overs)

After being asked to take first strike, the West Indies’ top and middle order, with the exception of Rutherford, again failed miserably, as they crumbled under the pressure of Sri Lanka’s spin-heavy assault. In fact, besides Rutherford and Motie, opener Brandon King (16) was the only other batsman in double figures, which tells the tale of the alarming regularity in which the wickets fell.

By the 16th over, the Caribbean side had lost eight wickets for just 58 runs, with no batsman managing to stabilize the innings. However, in what seemed like a foregone conclusion, Rutherford and Motie showed resilience and defiance and gave the team a fighting chance, but their efforts were ultimately too little, too late.

West Indies bowlers initially showed some promise, as vice captain Alzarri Joseph (2-30) and Motie (1-18) picked up early wickets, but Sri Lanka's steady chase, led by Asalanka, ensured there would be no upset.

Asalanka, who struck seven fours and a solitary six in his 61-ball knock, anchored the innings with the assistance of Sadeera Samarawickrama (38) and Janith Liyanage (24), after Nishan Madushka (38) earlier got things going.

West Indies captain Shai Hope expressed disappointment with the team’s performance, particularly with the batting, as they are now left to play for pride in the third and final ODI.

“I really don't like to focus on things we can't control. Today it was disappointing. We just need to get through the powerplay and negate the spin threat. We needed to limit the dot balls so hopefully we can play better in the last game. We are not putting enough revs on the ball, bowling quickly as well, and so we need to take lessons from Sri Lanka’s spinners,” Hope said in a post-game interview.

 “We didn’t put enough runs on the board, and that’s been the story for us in this series. We’ve got to do better in the third game.”

Sri Lanka wrapped up the ODI series against the West Indies with a five-wicket victory in Pallekele.

The hosts successfully chased down their opponents' total of 189, giving them an unassailable 2-0 in the three-match series.

Sri Lanka controlled the early powerplay - Asitha Fernando (3-35) and Maheesh Theekshana (3-25) took two wickets apiece to leave the tourists at 31-4 in the ninth over.

Wanindu Hasaranga (4-40) then claimed three of his four wickets as Roston Chase, Romario Shepherd, Hayden Walsh and Alzarri Joseph were all dismissed in the space of 14 balls.

However, Sherfane Rutherford (80 off 82 balls) and Gudakesh Motie (50 not out) steadied the ship to take the Windies from 58-8 to 189.

Although Joseph claimed Avishka Fernando (9) in the fourth over, Nishan Madushka and Sadeera Samarawickrama both chipped in with contributions of 38 to get the hosts to 112-4.

Skipper Charith Asalanka (62 not out) led the charge thereon, while Kamindu Mendis (11) comfortably got them over the line with 34 balls remaining.

Data Debrief: Rutherford-Motie historic stand proves academic for tourists

West Indies were looking to level the series, but their hopes were not aided by Sri Lanka's impressive bowling.

Rutherford and Motie did their best. Their partnership brought 119 runs, which is their nation's highest ninth-wicket stand in ODI history, breaking the previous record of 85 between Yannic Cariah and Alzarri Joseph.

However, it ultimately proved in vain as the hosts secured the series with a game to spare.

West Indies captain Shai Hope has made it clear that his team will approach the second ODI contest against Sri Lanka as a must-win, treating it like a final in order to keep their hopes of topping the three-match series alive.

After suffering a five-wicket defeat in a rain-affected opening encounter, the West Indies are trailing 1-0, making Wednesday’s clash a decisive one, especially as they hunt ranking points to move up the leaderboard in the format.

Hope, who will be tasked with playing a steadying role in the middle order should his top-order fail, acknowledged the disappointment of losing the first game but believes that the Caribbean side can bounce back with a stronger, more cohesive performance.

First ball is 4:00am Jamaica time, 5:00am in the Eastern Caribbean.

“We did some drawing board prep; we know exactly what's in front of us and so we have to play the next game like a final. We see where we are in terms of the rankings on the world stage and we have to find ways to get better and improve quickly,” Hope said in a pre-game interview.

“Having said that, we've got to make sure we take each game at a time, and seeing what happened in the previous game, we've got to look at the learnings that we can find there and understand how we need to improve in terms of our bowling and batting. So I think we got our work cut out; the conversations that we've had over the last 48 hours or so have been pretty good, and I think that we're in good headspace to bounce back,” he added.

The West Indies fell short in the first game, largely due to lapses in the bowling department, as Sri Lanka was set a revised total of 232 based on the Duckworth Lewis method.

Despite a promising start in which they snared three wickets in the PowerPlay, they were unable to see off the game, and Sri Lanka chased down their target comfortably. Only Gudakesh Motie (3-47) and Alzarri Joseph (2-39) showed little fight with the ball.

With that in mind, Hope pointed to the need for more consistency from his players, particularly in capitalizing on strong starts and finishing innings with authority.

“Challenging conditions are all part of the game. We would have hoped that the rain didn't come in to play a factor, but having said that, we've got to find ways to negate that. We can't focus too much on things we can't control... we definitely can't control the weather, so we've got to find ways to bowl with the wet ball if we have to do it again in the next game,” Hope stated.

“I just think our lines and lengths have to be better depending on whichever surface you're playing on. I think regardless of if it's wet or not, we got to make sure our lines and lengths are a lot better as a bowling group and then when we're batting, I think we need to show a bit more intent. So I think those are the key areas that we need to focus on going into the next game,” he declared.

Knowing very well that the series is on the line, Hope is urging his teammates to step up and deliver a performance that showcases their potential, even more so to take the Sri Lankan spinners out of their comfort zones.

“Obviously, we got to look at the PowerPlay. We need to see how we are going to attack the Powerplay and then how we are going to attack their spinners to put them under pressure in some way. If we’ve got to play different shots, if we’ve got to look at different scoring areas, push a little bit harder to make them think,” Hope reasoned.

“If we just allow them to set and bowl, then they're going to be all over us. So as a team, as a batting group, we've got to ensure we put a lot more pressure on their bowlers so we can give ourselves the best chance to get big scores on the board,” he ended.

With a subpar bowling effort resulting in Sri Lanka taking a 1-0 lead in their three-match One Day International (ODI) series, West Indies bowling coach James Franklin is hoping the bowlers will get their acts together to assist in turning the Caribbean side’s fortunes in the next two fixtures.

Franklin, a former New Zealand all-rounder, acknowledged that the West Indies lacked proper execution in the bowling department, as they went down by five wickets under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in Sunday’s opening contest.

After losing over three hours of play due to heavy showers during the West Indies’ batting innings, Sri Lanka were set a revised target of 232 in 37 overs, which they made light work of, as only Gudakesh Motie (3-47) and Alzarri Joseph (2-39) showed any real fight with the ball.

“We were given a total that we felt that we could defend, and we had a great start with the ball. We got three wickets in that power play reduced down to eight overs and had Sri Lanka under some pressure, but they had a really significant partnership with the captain Asalanka and the debutant Madushka,” Franklin said.

“We probably weren’t as good with our execution with the ball yesterday [Sunday]—I think that will be the general reflection—and going into the next game, I think we can be a lot better with our execution, with our lengths, particularly. We’re 1-0 down in this three-game series. We’ve got a couple of days now to reflect and work on where our improvements lie going into this next game,” he added.

Though disappointed with the manner of the opening loss, Franklin is backing the Shai Hope-captained team to bounce back in Wednesday’s second contest, as well as in the final encounter on Saturday to top the series.

“We’re on a journey as an ODI team, and we have to keep improving, keep trying to move ourselves up the rankings in terms of the ICC table. We’re coming here to Sri Lanka, who has always been a good team in their own country and difficult to beat in their own conditions, so we know we have a huge challenge these next couple of games,” Franklin reasoned.

“While yesterday (Sunday) was disappointing, we know that we’re still in this series; we know we have a huge game coming up on Wednesday, and we just have to execute our skills for longer.

“We know what surface we’re going to get; it’s going to be a very similar surface again. So we’re going to prep well and make sure that we’re a little bit better with our execution with the ball,” he ended.

Sri Lanka drew first blood in their ODI series with the West Indies, who they beat by five wickets in Pallekele.

The tourists were going well on 185-4 after 38.3 overs, before their innings was cut short due to rain, and the hosts subsequently chased down their DLS-adjusted target of 232 successfully to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. 

Electing to bat after winning the toss, the West Indies made a promising start but found themselves at 54-3 before Sherfane Rutherford joined Keacy Carty in the middle.

Amid their cautious approach on the greasy surface, Rutherford notched up 74 not out, and it looked like they would easily surpass the 200 mark until the rain halted their momentum.

Sri Lanka stumbled to 45-3 after the seventh over in a nervy start, but an impressive 137-run stand between Charith Asalanka (77) and debutant Nishan Madushka (69) got them back on track and well on course for victory.

Despite them both falling, Kamindu Mendis (30 not out) and Janith Liyanage (18 not out) saw the hosts over the line.

Data Debrief: A mammoth stand

Rutherford led the West Indies' charge by top-scoring with 74, claiming his second ODI half-century along the way.

However, it proved academic, with Asalanka and Madushka spearheading Sri Lanka's response, with contributions of 77 from 71 balls and 69 off 54 deliveries respectively.

It proved more than enough to see the hosts over the line, despite the best efforts of Gudakesh Motie, who finished with figures of 3-47.

Sri Lanka defeated the West Indies by five wickets via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in the first ODI at Pallekele on Sunday, marking their third consecutive victory after winning the last two T20 Internationals to clinch the series 2-1.

Chasing a DLS-adjusted target of 232 in 37 overs, Sri Lanka’s pursuit was powered by a crucial 137-run partnership between Nishan Madushka and Charith Asalanka. The pair's half-centuries laid the foundation for Sri Lanka’s victory, which came with 31 balls to spare. Their century stand came in just 88 balls, as they took full advantage of the wayward West Indies bowling.

Madushka and Asalanka were ruthless in their approach, capitalizing on poor deliveries, with only Gudakesh Motie providing any resistance. Motie was the pick of the West Indies bowlers with 3-47, while Alzarri Joseph chipped in with 2-39. However, their efforts were not enough to stifle Sri Lanka’s charge, as they raced to 200 in just 27.3 overs, making victory inevitable.

After Asalanka’s departure, Janith Liyanage and Kamindu Mendis put on an unbroken 47-run partnership to secure the win. Liyanage remained unbeaten on 18, while Mendis finished on 30 not out.

Earlier in the day, the West Indies had been frustrated by rain, which halted their innings at 185 for 4 after 38.3 overs. Sherfane Rutherford had mounted a counter-attack, scoring an unbeaten 74, while Roston Chase contributed 33 not out in an 85-run fifth-wicket stand. Their partnership came off 78 deliveries and provided a much-needed boost after Sri Lanka’s spinners had dominated the early proceedings.

Wanindu Hasaranga was the standout bowler for Sri Lanka, taking 2-18, while Jeffrey Vandersay and Charith Asalanka claimed a wicket apiece. Despite the interruption caused by rain, Sri Lanka’s spinners laid the groundwork for a comfortable chase, leaving the West Indies unable to capitalize on the toss and their decision to bat first.

With this five-wicket win, Sri Lanka takes an early lead in the three-match ODI series, continuing their momentum from the T20s.