Sri Lanka took a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series against the West Indies in Pallekele with a professional run-chase in a rain-hit encounter on Sunday, October 20. Riding on skipper Charith Asalanka and debutant Nishan Madushka's 137-run partnership for the fourth wicket, Sri Lanka made short work of a 232-run chase after the match was reduced to 37 overs per side. West Indies will have to think about their bowling plans a bit going into the second ODI as they failed to take the middle overs despite a good start in the second innings.
West Indies had most of Sri Lanka's top-order back in the hut by the seventh over with Alzarri Joseph and Gudakesh Motie bowling well in tandem to peg the hosts back early in the run-chase. Just when Sri Lanka desperately needed a partnership, debutant Madushka found an able ally in captain Asalanka. The duo was aggressive alright. The rescue act felt like two men on a mission as they didn't let the West Indies bowlers have much say.
The 50-run partnership was up in around 45 balls and Sri Lanka never looked back from then point on. West Indies bowlers erred in their lines and lengths quite a bit as they failed to understand what was the best channel as both Madushka and Asalanka got comfortable after a point.
Both completed their fifties and brought up a century-run stand. Sri Lanka were running away with the game and West Indies just didn't have any answers to a neatly calculated partnership and run-chase by the left-right duo.
West Indies finally got the breakthrough after 18 overs, however, Sri Lanka had run away with the game by then. Motie continued his good form and sent back both Asalanka and Madushka but it was too little too late as Kamindu Mendis and Liyanage provided the finishing touches.
Earlier, the West Indies too had a similar start with the bat losing three wickets by the 13th over, including skipper Shai Hope. The difference between the two teams was probably the tempo of the rescue acts. While Sri Lanka got it on the money, the West Indies were a bit slow. The unbroken 85-run stand between Roston Chase and Sherfane Rutherford infused some momentum in the latter part of the partnership but the rain came probably at the wrong time as the duo was just getting their weapons ready to unleash.
West Indies will have to think about their bowling plans and probably a bit more of rotation of strike in the middle overs, especially when a repair job is in operation.
