Published: 08:15, 14 October 2024 Updated: 08:18, 14 October 2024
<img src="https://www.risingbd.com/media/imgAll/2024October/sp-2410140218.jpg" alt="West Indies started the series with an easy win” title=”West Indies started the series with an easy win” class=”img-fluid img100 TopImg”/>
It could have been dramatic. West Indies needed just 4 runs in the last over to beat hosts Sri Lanka at the Rongiri Dambulla Stadium. Shefron Rutherford took the 4-run equation without giving any chance in the first ball of Mathisha Pathirana’s over. West Indies won easily with 5 balls in hand. They lead 1-0 in the three match series.
The two-time world champions reached the target of 180 runs given by Sri Lanka with 5 wickets in hand. The hero of their win was opener Brendan King. Opener Markut played an innings of 63 runs off 33 balls. There were 11 fours and 1 six in the innings arranged at a strike rate of 190.90. The Caribbean found the basis of victory in the opening pair. Evin Lewis and King scored 107 runs off 55 balls. Lewis scored 50 off 28 balls with 5 fours and 4 sixes.
After breaking their pair, Shai Hope (7) and Roston Chase (19) returned to the court, but captain Rovman Powell’s 13 and Rutherford’s 14 runs did not cause problems for West Indies to win. Pathirana took 2 wickets for 27 runs for Sri Lanka with the ball.
Earlier, Sri Lanka lost the toss and decided to bat. They lost 2 wickets for 27 runs and 3 wickets for 58 runs. Three top order batsmen Pathum Nishanka (11), Kushal Mendis (19) and Kushal Perera (6) quickly returned to dressing room.
Kamindu Mendis and Charith Asalanka took the lead for the team in the fourth wicket. Two picked up fifty. Mendis scored 51 off 40 balls and Asalanka scored 59 off 35 balls. After breaking their pair, none of the team could fight back. In the end, Sri Lanka got a fighting capital with Rajapaksa’s 17 runs. But that run was not enough to win.
Shepherd took 2 wickets with the ball for West Indies. The second match of the series will be held on October 15 at the same ground.
Dhaka/Yasin
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