In a somewhat topsy-turvy Sri Lanka innings that began with a sparkling 105-run opening partnership, West Indies continued to strike throughout the 50 overs to repeatedly peg the visitors back, bowling them out for 232 inside 49 overs.
Half-centuries from Danushka Gunathilaka and Dimuth Karunaratne at close to a run-a-ball saw Sri Lanka bring up the three-figure mark inside 19 overs, before a spate of wickets through the middle order saw much of that hard work undone. It included a deeply controversial incident where Gunathilaka was given out for allegedly obstructing the field after West Indian captain Kieron Pollard appealed, and the couple of run-outs that followed put West Indies on top. A half-century from Ashen Bandara lower down the order prevented the innings imploding, allowing them to set a target Sri Lanka’s spinners will feel they have a chance of defending.
There was plenty remarkable about the Sri Lankan innings once they won the toss and batted first, but the only thing likely to be remarked upon at any length is the controversial moment of Gunathilaka’s dismissal that changed the tide of the game. Pollard, who was hugely influential through the innings, had just dismissed Karunaratne with his second delivery, before he served Gunathilaka a short delivery in his next over. Pathum Nissanka, on debut, set off for a single his partner wasn’t remotely interested in, and Pollard, sensing a run-out opportunity, raced to get hold of the ball, nestled besides Gunathilaka’s feet.
As the batsman took a backward step to ensure he remained inside his crease, he trod on the ball, knocking it back, leading to a furious appeal from the West Indian captain. It appeared there was no way replays could establish Gunathilaka had deliberately foiled a run-out attempt, but TV umpire Nigel Guguid took little time reaching that very conclusion, pulling the plug on what was a delightfully fluent innings.
The game took on a tetchiness usually not associated with West Indies-Sri Lanka contests, and shortly after Pollard threatened to Mankad the non-striker. Nissanka couldn’t help get involved in the action once more, with a risky second run putting paid to another of his partners, Angelo Mathews, with Pollard - who else? - flicking off the bails. His miserable, brief stay at the crease would finally end an over later, when he was himself run-out as Sri Lanka attempted another needlessly chancy single.
Amidst the drama, it might be easy to forget the awareness and quality Pollard and Jason Mohammed played with to trouble Sri Lanka. They took the pace off on a somewhat slow pitch to stymie Sri Lanka’s fluency, with the visitors guilty of occasional impatience that brought the end of Kamindu Mendis and Hasaranga de Silva. Bandara, meanwhile, was showing the sort of maturity uncommon in players as devoid of international experience as he is, regularly rotating the strike and punishing loose deliveries - uncommon though they were - to steer Sri Lanka past 200.
It might not have been as laboured as that by the way Gunathilaka and Karunaratne went about things. After a staid first six overs, the two began to speed through the gears, hitting six boundaries in nine balls off Jason Holder and Alzarri Joseph to make up for lost time. Gunathilaka, in particular, took on the role of aggressor, refusing to let Romario Shephard settle and manipulating the field expertly as dot deliveries became increasingly scarce. With some rain around in the area, it all looked so bright for Sri Lanka, but if West Indies end up chasing this total, it is a moment of controversy this match is likely to be remembered for.
Source: ESPNCricinfo
