Shai Hope’s 115 proved in vain as fifties from both Sri Lanka openers set up the chase before a nerveless 42* from Wanindu Hasaranga guided the hosts home.
Chasing 290 to win, Sri Lanka looked in complete control as Avishka Fernando and Dimuth Karunaratne put on 111 for the first wicket before the latter was dismissed for 52 from the final ball of the 18th over. Fernando followed just a couple of overs after for 50, becoming the first of Alzarri Joseph’s three wickets.
Kusal Mendis and Kusal Perera looked to consolidate, but when the former was caught off a Hayden Walsh Jr. full toss for 20, West Indies sensed a way in. Angelo Mathews lasted only four balls before he edged Joseph behind for 5, and while Dhananjaya de Silva held firm for a while for his 18, he too left the job half done as he skied a drive off Walsh and was well caught by Keemo Paul. Again the wickets fell as a pair though, and eight balls later Perera, whose continued presence had given the hosts the edge up to this point, holed out for 42 to give Paul a wicket of his own.
Thisara Perera picked up where Kusal had left off though, bashing some quick runs off the bowling of Paul and Walsh before Joseph returned to have him caught in the deep, departing for a 22-ball 32. Isuru Udana couldn’t manage a run from his six balls, edging behind off Paul for a duck, leaving Sri Lanka still needing 28 runs with only two wickets in hand.
Hasaranga remained calm though, manipulating the strike and finding the boundary in equal measure to bring scores level with an over to go, though with Lakshan Sandakan on strike.
A vital piece of fielding from square leg, and a direct hit at the non-striker’s end, from Sunil Ambris kept West Indies’ hopes alive, but Hasaranga had managed to reclaim the strike. It mattered little though as Keemo Paul missed his length badly to give Sri Lanka the run they needed via a no-ball.
West Indies’ had earlier posted 289/7 having been put in to bat, thanks largely to Shai Hope’s ninth ODI century. They got off to a steady start after the early loss of Ambris, bowled by Thisara Perera for 3, with Hope and Darren Bravo putting on a 77-run partnership in a little more than 16 overs after which a mix-up led to the latter being run out for 39. Roston Chase upped the tempo a little with a 45-ball 41 made in an 85-run stand with Hope, before he was bowled by Nuwan Pradeep.
Nicholas Pooran, Kieron Pollard and Hope all then fell victim to a spell of bowling from Udana, before Jason Holder became the second run-out victim of the innings.
Keemo Paul and Hayden Walsh gave the innings late impetus though, putting on an unbroken 49-run stand from the final 20 balls, with Paul finishing 32* from 17 balls, while Walsh registered an eight-ball 20*.
-International Cricket Council (ICC)
