262/10 (49.2)
CR : 5.31
303/7 (50.0)
CR : 6.06
Sri Lanka won by 41 runs 🏆
Player of the Match
Kusal Mendis
72(62)
No fifer for Dushmantha Chameera! He finishes with 4/67 in 10 overs, his third-best bowling figures in ODIs! West Indies need 42 off 6 balls now. Charith Asalanka to bowl the last over.
49.1
0
Charith Asalanka to Jayden Seales
Round the wicket. Short and outside off. Seales punches it down off the toe end of the bat back to the bowler.
49.2
W
Charith Asalanka to Jayden Seales
OUT!!! TAKEN! DONE AND DUSTED!!! 74.7 kmph. Flighted, full and outside off. Seales uses his feet and looks for a big shot, but gets a top edge. The ball lobs up to backward point, where Liyanage runs forward and pouches it. SRI LANKA HAVE DEFEATED WEST INDIES BY 41 RUNS TO TAKE THE LEAD OF 1-0 IN THE SERIES! THIS IS A NEW BEGINNING FOR THE ISLAND NATION UNDER NEW LEADERSHIP!!
J Seales 2(6)
c J Liyanage b C Asalanka
4s/6s
0/0
SR
33.33
Over 50
West Indies 262/10
Jayden Seales2(6)
Shamar Joseph23(22)
Charith Asalanka1-6(1.2)
SL won by 41 runs
5:11 AM IST, 6:41 PM Local Time: Sri Lanka begin their new era under head coach Gary Kirsten and captain Kusal Mendis with a comprehensive 41-run win over the West Indies at Sabina Park in the first ODI of this three-match series! It took a long time to complete the game, with both teams being penalised for slower over-rates, and in the end the game was called off due to bad light. However, it didn't change the result of the game, with a complete performance from the visitors seeing them win their first ODI on Caribbean soil since 2013!
Earlier in the game, the Windies won the toss and asked Sri Lanka to bat first. Pathum Nissanka was dropped for nought on the first ball by Keacy Carty, and the right-hander made the hosts pay for it with a stubborn 79 off 103 balls. He added a brilliant 136-run second-wicket stand along with his skipper Kusal Mendis, who scored a classy 72 off just 62 balls to rebuild after Jayden Seales dismissed Kamindu Mendis early for 12.
Kusal, in particular, took the attack to left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie and forced Shai Hope to change his plans. However, the Lankan Lions both set batters down in quick succession, allowing the Windies to bounce back. Pavan Rathnayake, Charith Asalanka and Janith Liyanage all got starts, with Asalanka and Liyanage scoring in the 40s to help Sri Lanka beyond 300. Asalanka scored 45 off 44 balls, adding 64 runs for the 5th wicket alongside Liyanage, who hit a quickfire 44* off 29.
Roston Chase was the pick of the bowlers, choking down Sri Lanka in the middle phase and finished with 2/47. Matthew Forde finished with 2/44, with both his dismissals coming off full tosses. Seales bowled 3 maidens but conceded 67 runs for his 2 wickets in 10 overs. Shamar Joseph, Alzarri Joseph and Motie failed to take a wicket as Sri Lanka posted 303/7 in 50 overs.
West Indies were off to a flying start in the run chase, adding 50 runs for the first wicket. John Campbell (17 off 14) started off the chase with a maximum but was the first one to go via a runout, with Liyanage hitting the bull's eye. Justin Greaves hit a few cracking shots and set the stage on fire in the powerplay, slamming 45 off just 38 balls. However, he failed to bat past the field restrictions as Maheesh Theekshana knocked him over.
Keacy Carty and Shai Hope rebuilt with a 50-plus-run stand, but Kamindu plucked one out of thin air to send Carty back for 27. Sri Lanka then applied a spin choke using Wanindu Hasaranga and Theekshana. Sherfane Rutherford fell prey to it. Hope (56 off 66) completed his 50 but was soon taken care of by Dushmantha Chameera's clever leg cutter. Roston Chase tried to hang around with Gudakesh Motie as they added 47 runs for the 6th wicket, but Theekshana broke the partnership before Chameera got the ball to reverse and nailed his yorkers and slower balls to perfection to go bang, bang and clean up Chase for 33 and Alzarri for a duck.
The run rate was climbing at the rate of knots, and the hosts found themselves way too far behind in the run chase. Despite a fight from Forde and Shamar, Sri Lanka managed to bundle them out for 262 in 49.2 overs.
Chameera was the star of the show with his 3rd best figures of 4/67. Theekshana finishes with 2/26, while Asitha Fernando, Hasaranga and Asalanka took a wicket each to cap off a resounding win to take a 1-0 lead in the series!
Earlier in the game, the Windies won the toss and asked Sri Lanka to bat first. Pathum Nissanka was dropped for nought on the first ball by Keacy Carty, and the right-hander made the hosts pay for it with a stubborn 79 off 103 balls. He added a brilliant 136-run second-wicket stand along with his skipper Kusal Mendis, who scored a classy 72 off just 62 balls to rebuild after Jayden Seales dismissed Kamindu Mendis early for 12.
Kusal, in particular, took the attack to left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie and forced Shai Hope to change his plans. However, the Lankan Lions both set batters down in quick succession, allowing the Windies to bounce back. Pavan Rathnayake, Charith Asalanka and Janith Liyanage all got starts, with Asalanka and Liyanage scoring in the 40s to help Sri Lanka beyond 300. Asalanka scored 45 off 44 balls, adding 64 runs for the 5th wicket alongside Liyanage, who hit a quickfire 44* off 29.
Roston Chase was the pick of the bowlers, choking down Sri Lanka in the middle phase and finished with 2/47. Matthew Forde finished with 2/44, with both his dismissals coming off full tosses. Seales bowled 3 maidens but conceded 67 runs for his 2 wickets in 10 overs. Shamar Joseph, Alzarri Joseph and Motie failed to take a wicket as Sri Lanka posted 303/7 in 50 overs.
West Indies were off to a flying start in the run chase, adding 50 runs for the first wicket. John Campbell (17 off 14) started off the chase with a maximum but was the first one to go via a runout, with Liyanage hitting the bull's eye. Justin Greaves hit a few cracking shots and set the stage on fire in the powerplay, slamming 45 off just 38 balls. However, he failed to bat past the field restrictions as Maheesh Theekshana knocked him over.
Keacy Carty and Shai Hope rebuilt with a 50-plus-run stand, but Kamindu plucked one out of thin air to send Carty back for 27. Sri Lanka then applied a spin choke using Wanindu Hasaranga and Theekshana. Sherfane Rutherford fell prey to it. Hope (56 off 66) completed his 50 but was soon taken care of by Dushmantha Chameera's clever leg cutter. Roston Chase tried to hang around with Gudakesh Motie as they added 47 runs for the 6th wicket, but Theekshana broke the partnership before Chameera got the ball to reverse and nailed his yorkers and slower balls to perfection to go bang, bang and clean up Chase for 33 and Alzarri for a duck.
The run rate was climbing at the rate of knots, and the hosts found themselves way too far behind in the run chase. Despite a fight from Forde and Shamar, Sri Lanka managed to bundle them out for 262 in 49.2 overs.
Chameera was the star of the show with his 3rd best figures of 4/67. Theekshana finishes with 2/26, while Asitha Fernando, Hasaranga and Asalanka took a wicket each to cap off a resounding win to take a 1-0 lead in the series!
BEST FIGURES FOR DUSHMANTHA CHAMEERA IN ODIs:
5-16 vs Bangladesh, Mirpur (2021)
4-63 vs Afghanistan, Hambantota (2023)
4-67 vs West Indies (2026), Sabina Park, TODAY*
3-20 vs England, Colombo (RPS), (2018)
3-44 vs Bangladesh, Mirpur, (2021)
5-16 vs Bangladesh, Mirpur (2021)
4-63 vs Afghanistan, Hambantota (2023)
4-67 vs West Indies (2026), Sabina Park, TODAY*
3-20 vs England, Colombo (RPS), (2018)
3-44 vs Bangladesh, Mirpur, (2021)
Player of the Match: Kusal Mendis
Again, apologies for not being able to bring you the post-match interviews, as there was another issue with the broadcast! So, that is the end of our coverage as well. Sri Lanka win the first ODI and take an early lead. The next two ODIs are day-night affairs. For now, this is me, AkshayaKrishna Polya, signing off on behalf of my co-commentator, Dev Rajawat and scorer, Danish Elahi. We will meet again. Until then, it is cheers!