The T20I series was done and dusted with home team West Indies winning it comfortably by 2-1 margin. West Indies carried the same momentum into the ODI series as they crushed Sri Lanka in the first match in Antigua by a margin of 8 wickets. Wicket-keeper batsman Shai Hope finally found his rhythm with the bat to take his team to victory and give them the lead in the 3-match series up front!
Having opted to bat first, Sri Lanka were off to a great start with openers putting on a century-plus stand for the first wicket. In the process, both the openers scored half-centuries each – Danushka Gunathilaka (55) & Dimuth Karunaratne (52). However, Sri Lanka lost 4 wickets once this duo was separated. From 105/0, they slid to 126/4! Incidentally, there was a caught & Bowled, Obstructing the field and two dismissals during this phase!
Gunathilaka was the one who was adjudged as ‘Obstructing the field’, becoming the only Sri Lankan thus far to be dismissed in this fashion in ODI cricket. Overall, he is the 8th player to be dismissed after ‘obstructing the field’ in this format of the game. With a mini-collapse during the middle overs, Sri Lankan bowler Ashen Bandara steeped with a half-century – 50 off 60 balls. But with wickets falling at the other end, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 232 in 49 overs. Sri Lanka’s total in this match is their lowest team total in ODIs with at least 3 half-centuries in it.
Chasing a modest target, West Indies openers put on a 143-run stand for the first wicket, taking them closer to the target. The stand was separated with the dismissal of Evin Lewis (65 off 90). The other opener Shai Hope continued on his merry way as he stitched a 73-run stand for the second wicket along with Darren Bravo. In the process, Hope got to his 10th century in this format – 110 runs off 133 balls, but he himself couldn’t take them to victory as he departed with 18 more runs needed for victory. Bravo (37*) and Jason Mohammed (13*) scored the required runs without losing any further wickets to take West Indies to an 8-wicket victory.
Shai Hope has been adjudged as the ‘Player of the Match’ for his match-winning knock at the top. With this victory, West Indies are currently leading the 3-match series by 1-0. The second ODI will be played at the same venue – Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua – on Friday (Mar 12).
Brief Scores: West Indies – 236/2 in 47 overs (Shai Hope – 110, Evin Lewis – 65, Dushmantha Chameera – 2/50) defeated Sri Lanka – 232 all out in 49 overs (Danushka Gunathilaka – 55, Dimuth Karunaratne – 52, Jason Mohammed – 2/12, Jason Holder – 2/39) by a margin of 8 wickets
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