October 26, 2024
West Indies salvaged a win in the final One-Day International against Sri Lanka on Saturday in Kandy, securing an 8-wicket victory.
Despite already losing the series 2-1, the Windies managed to cap off their tour with a morale-boosting triumph, thanks to a brilliant century by Evin Lewis and a strong partnership with Sherfane Rutherford.
The match was played under challenging conditions, with several rain interruptions that led to the application of the Duckworth-Lewis method.
Sri Lanka won the toss and opted to bat first, but the West Indies struggled to break through early on.
Pathum Nissanka (56) and Avishka Fernando (34) set a solid foundation for the hosts, with Kusal Mendis taking charge, scoring a rapid 56 from just 22 balls, pushing Sri Lanka to 156 for 3 before rain halted their innings.
Roston Chase and Sherfane Rutherford were the only West Indies bowlers to claim wickets, each taking one, while a runout accounted for another dismissal.
After a delay for pitch inspections, the revised target for the West Indies was set at 195 runs from 23 overs.
The West Indies chase started solidly, with Brandon King contributing 16 runs before being dismissed.
Evin Lewis then took charge, crafting an unbeaten 102 runs from 61 balls, including 9 fours and 4 sixes.
Skipper Shai Hope added 22 runs from 27 balls, but it was Sherfane Rutherford’s explosive knock of 50 not out from 26 balls, featuring 4 fours and 3 sixes, that sealed the victory.
The West Indies finished with 196 for 2, securing the win with 8 wickets in hand.
Despite a disappointing series overall, this victory brought a much-needed win for the Caribbean team after their earlier losses in both the ODI and T20 series.