West Indies Claim Victory in Rain-Reduced 3rd ODI Against Sri Lanka
The West Indies defeated Sri Lanka by eight wickets, their first ODI victory in Sri Lanka in more than ten years in an exciting 23-over, rain-shortened third ODI in Pallekele.
With an incredible 102* off 61 balls, Evin Lewis, who hasn’t played in an ODI since 2021, led his team to a revised goal of 195 with one over remaining.
Key Performances and Match Scorecard
West Indies 196 for 2 (Lewis 102*, Rutherford 50*, Asitha 1-39) beat Sri Lanka 156 for 3 (Kusal 56, Nissanka 56, Chase 1-20) by 8 wickets (DLS method) – 23 overs match.
Sherfane Rutherford added a quick 50* off 26 balls to complement Lewis’ power-hitting display, securing the victory and capping off the difficult Sri Lankan tour for the West Indies.
Due to a rain delay, Sri Lanka’s innings was cut short to just 23 overs, meaning the hosts had to score runs quickly. Kusal Mendis took advantage of the situation and reached his half-century in just 19 deliveries, slamming an undefeated 56 off 22 balls. Sri Lanka reached 156 for 3 thanks to his spectacular cameo, setting a difficult mark for the West Indies. Despite unfavorable circumstances, Sri Lanka maintained their hopes by scoring 75 runs in the final 5.4 overs thanks to their aggressive strategy.
The West Indies got off to a cautious start with Shai Hope (22 off 27) and Brandon King (18 off 19). But Rutherford’s presence was the turning point, as he and Lewis combined for a game-changing, undefeated 88-run combination off 45 balls to speed up the scoring. Four boundaries and three sixes were part of Rutherford’s blitz, which helped the West Indies take control in the pivotal overs by raising the necessary rate when it was above 11.5.
By alternating his bowlers, including himself and Kamindu Mendis, captain Charith Asalanka tried to limit the run rate. However, he was unsuccessful when Lewis and Rutherford targeted his and Maheesh Theekshana’s overs, hitting 14 and 18 runs off them, respectively. up a soggy outfield, Sri Lanka’s bowling failed to hold the West Indies’ hitters in check, even though Asitha Fernando put up a solid show, conceding 26 runs in his final two overs.
After the rain, Sri Lanka will find value in their aggressive play, even though they will lament lost opportunities, such as three dropped catches in the opening ten overs. Although West Indies’ fielding errors contributed to their score, opener Pathum Nissanka and Avishka Fernando established a strong foundation with an 81-run partnership.
In addition to keeping Sri Lanka competitive, Kusal’s 19-ball fifty put him among the team’s fastest players to reach 4000 ODI runs. In order to keep pressure on Sri Lanka, the West Indies relied heavily on Matthew Forde’s economical five overs before the rain and tactical changes to divide the remaining overs between bowlers like Gudakesh Motie and Jayden Seales.
Ultimately, Sri Lanka was able to secure a manageable total because to Kusal’s energetic performance, which was bolstered by four boundaries from Roston Chase. But a historic triumph was achieved because to the West Indies’ relentless pursuit, which was led by Lewis and Rutherford’s powerful hitting.
