In a gripping second ODI at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, the West Indies demonstrated resilience, fighting back from a dire position of 58 for 8 to finish their innings at 189 runs. This remarkable recovery was largely thanks to a vital 119-run partnership between Sherfane Rutherford and Gudakesh Motie, who provided the team with a glimmer of hope on a challenging pitch.
After a rain delay reduced the match to 44 overs per side, the West Indies were put to bat first but struggled against Sri Lanka’s new-ball attack. Alick Athanaze was the first to go, bowled by Maheesh Theekshana. The pressure mounted as Asitha Fernando claimed the wickets of Brandon King, caught off his own bowling, and Shai Hope in consecutive overs. Theekshana continued to wreak havoc, sending Keacy Carty back to the pavilion, leaving the West Indies in disarray at 31 for 4.
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Wanindu Hasaranga further compounded their woes by dismissing Roston Chase with a clever googly and then accounted for Romario Shepherd with a well-executed legbreak. He struck again shortly after, bowling Alzarri Joseph, while Theekshana capped off his impressive spell by clean bowling Hayden Walsh. At one point, Theekshana’s figures stood at an astounding 6 overs, 1 maiden, 16 runs, and 3 wickets, leaving the West Indies in a precarious situation.
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However, Rutherford (80 runs off 82 balls) and Motie (50 not out off 61 balls) launched a stunning counteroffensive. Rutherford capitalized on two dropped catches (at scores of 23 and 72) and kept the scoreboard ticking with a series of boundaries. Meanwhile, Motie, who is typically recognized for his bowling skills, showcased his batting ability by reaching his ODI half-century off 61 deliveries. Their combined efforts lifted the West Indies from the brink of disaster to a respectable total.
Ultimately, Rutherford was dismissed when he flicked a full toss from Fernando into the hands of a fielder positioned deep. Hasaranga then put the finishing touches on the innings by claiming the final wicket of Jayden Seales with another googly, concluding with impressive figures of 4 wickets for 40 runs. The West Indies were bowled out for 189, leaving eight overs unused in their innings.
Brief Scores:
West Indies 189 all out (Rutherford 80, Motie 50*; Hasaranga 4-40, Theekshana 3-25, Fernando 3-35) vs. Sri Lanka.
