Sri Lanka v West Indies, 2015-16
Wisden's review of the first ODI, Sri Lanka v West Indies, 2015-16
15-Apr-2016
First one-day international At Colombo (RPS), November 1, 2015 (day/night). Sri Lanka won by one wicket (D/L). West Indies 159-8 (26 overs) (D. M. Bravo 38, A. D. Russell 41, J. O. Holder 36; R. A. S. Lakmal 3-15); ‡Sri Lanka 164-9 (24.5 overs) (T. M. Dilshan 59; S. P. Narine 3-21). MoM: T. M. Dilshan. ODI debuts: M. D. Gunathilleke, D. S. N. F. G. Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka).
Sri Lanka's last pair pinched a close game, after coming together with 11 needed from 14 balls to overhaul a revised target of 163 in 26 overs. A leg injury to Andre Russell meant West Indies were a bowler short. Perhaps encouraged by Kraigg Brathwaite's unexpected success in the Second Test, Jason Holder entrusted the penultimate over to the medium-pace of Johnson Charles, who had never bowled in 32 previous one-day appearances. After conceding three from his first four balls, Charles overstepped - and Ajantha Mendis then smashed the free hit over the long-on boundary to win the match. It was tough on Sunil Narine, who took 3-21 in his first international for more than a year. Earlier, West Indies had been floundering at 42-4, before Russell clouted 41 from 24 balls, and Holder 36 from 13; both hit three sixes. Tillekeratne Dilshan gave the chase an explosive start with 59 from 32. Holder was suspended from the next match for a slow over-rate.
Sri Lanka's last pair pinched a close game, after coming together with 11 needed from 14 balls to overhaul a revised target of 163 in 26 overs. A leg injury to Andre Russell meant West Indies were a bowler short. Perhaps encouraged by Kraigg Brathwaite's unexpected success in the Second Test, Jason Holder entrusted the penultimate over to the medium-pace of Johnson Charles, who had never bowled in 32 previous one-day appearances. After conceding three from his first four balls, Charles overstepped - and Ajantha Mendis then smashed the free hit over the long-on boundary to win the match. It was tough on Sunil Narine, who took 3-21 in his first international for more than a year. Earlier, West Indies had been floundering at 42-4, before Russell clouted 41 from 24 balls, and Holder 36 from 13; both hit three sixes. Tillekeratne Dilshan gave the chase an explosive start with 59 from 32. Holder was suspended from the next match for a slow over-rate.