Kusal Mendis’s return to the captain’s role began in the best possible way, with Sri Lanka producing a comfortable victory over West Indies in the first ODI of the West Indies tour. Mendis played a driving knock of 72 off 62 balls, while starts and timely support from Pathum Nissanka and the middle order enabled Sri Lanka to post a total above the 300-run mark. In reply, West Indies fell 41 runs short, with skipper Shai Hope the only batter to reach a half-century as the visitors were bowled out for 262 in 49.2 overs.
West Indies had a chance to strike early when Nissanka hit a straight ball that should have been taken at cover, but Keacy Carty dropped it and the opportunity was missed. Kamindu Mendis, opening the innings, struck the first boundary of the match but could not sustain the momentum and became the first wicket to fall of the day. Kusal, who took eight deliveries to get off the mark, then began to shift gears, launching one over cow corner to build confidence, while Nissanka continued to move steadily at the other end.
Kusal soon targeted Gudakesh Motie’s overs, hitting him for a six and then following up with a 6, 4, 6 sequence in the next over. That burst pushed the left-arm spinner out of the attack and lifted Sri Lanka’s scoring rate, helping Kusal reach his fifty before Nissanka did. With both batters finding rhythm, the hosts kept West Indies at bay and created the conditions to build even further. By the midway stage, Sri Lanka were 145/1.
Matthew Forde eventually ended the significant partnership when Kusal was caught after taking a top edge. That breakthrough allowed West Indies to enjoy a calmer spell thereafter. Nissanka later finished on 79, and Pavan Rathnayake contributed a scratchy 24. Moving into the last ten overs, Sri Lanka stood at 218/3, and the finishing duo of Charith Asalanka and Janith Liyanage delivered the right acceleration.
Asalanka struck 45, while Liyanage remained unbeaten on 44 to guide Sri Lanka to 303/7 in their 50 overs. With a solid target on the board, the home side came out with intent in the run chase, with John Campbell thumping the second ball of the innings for a six. Justin Greaves also made an immediate impact, adding a couple of boundaries before striking consecutive shots off Asitha Fernando—another six followed by a four—helping West Indies reach 50/0 after just six overs.
However, the chase swung when a run out disrupted the opening stand and brought Sri Lanka back into the contest. Maheesh Theekshana then curtailed Greaves’s promising spell as Sri Lanka tightened their bowling and slowed the rate of scoring. Hope and Carty managed a short period of stability, but Carty’s dismissal was another setback in a chase that required a major partnership to threaten Sri Lanka’s total.
Sherfane Rutherford could not get going and was dismissed by Wanindu Hasaranga. Hope, after reaching fifty, also failed to carry on, and his departure left West Indies struggling at 167/5. From that point, the match effectively tilted away from the home side. Roston Chase and Motie attempted to extend the contest, but quick dismissals within five deliveries dealt the decisive blow. Dushmantha Chameera added a couple of lower-order wickets to finish with four, and West Indies were dismissed in the final over of the match.
Brief scores: Sri Lanka 303/7 (50 overs) beat West Indies 262 all out (49.2 overs) by 41 runs. Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka 79, Kusal Mendis 72; Matthew Forde 2-44. West Indies: Shai Hope 56; Dushmantha Chameera 4-67, Maheesh Theekshana 2-26.
