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Darren Bravo‘s fourth One-Day International (ODI) hundred helped West Indies bag a comprehensive series sweep over Sri Lanka at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Sunday. The hosts chased down the 274-run in the third and final ODI with five wickets in hand and won the series 3-0.
Windies openers Evin Lewis and Shai Hope, who had struck century stands in the last two games, failed to repeat their performance in the 3rd ODI as Lewis was cleaned up by Suranga Lakmal in the fifth over.
On the other hand, Hope continued his golden form and smashed yet another half-century of the three-match leg. He formed a crucial 109-run stand with Bravo for the third wicket before Thisara Perera got rid of him.
Bravo reached the triple-figure mark in the 45th over with a boundary. It was his first ODI ton since June 2016.
Bravo scored 102 from 132 balls with the help of five fours and four sixes. WI skipper Kieron Pollard showed positive signs with the bat as he smashed unbeaten on 53 from 42 balls to take West Indies over the finish line.
For his century, Bravo has adjudged the ‘Player of the Match’ while Hope was named ‘Player of the Series’.
Earlier, Sri Lanka batted first and posted 274/6 in their allotted 50 overs. Danushka Gunathilaka (36) and Dimuth Karunaratne (31) gave their team a good opening stand, but the middle-order failed to capitalise.
Thanks to young gun Ashen Bandara and all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga who bailed out their side and took them to a competitive total. While Bandara scored unbeaten 55, Hasaranga contributed with 60-ball 80 and stayed at the crease till the end.
Here is how Twitter reacted:
Congrats to Darren Bravo on his 4th ODI century. Surely has helped @windiescricket to a three nil sweep of the ODI series. Congrats to all involved.
— Ian Raphael Bishop (@irbishi) March 14, 2021
3-0 to @windiescricket congratulations to the men in maroon 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
— Daren Sammy (@darensammy88) March 14, 2021
Great series win @windiescricket. Congrats to all! #WIvSL
— Kirk Edwards (@Edical30) March 14, 2021
4️⃣ th ODI Century!💯 Triple figures to Darren Bravo!!#WIvSL #MenInMaroon #cgcoralisle
The chase isn't over yet! Live Scorecard⬇️ https://t.co/DFawzbe4Bf pic.twitter.com/rSt48Dvfr3
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) March 14, 2021
4th ODI hundred for Darren Bravo. Old school knock at a strike-rate of under 80. And yet, likely to be a match-winning one. Stats can be so misleading. Terrific innings… #WIvSL
— Aatif Nawaz (@AatifNawaz) March 14, 2021
Congrats Champs!! 🥂 #WIvSL https://t.co/HrLp3eNHSI
— WIPA (@wiplayers) March 14, 2021
For the first time since 1989, West Indies have clean swept two consecutive ODI series at home (v Ireland and v Sri Lanka).
The last time it happened was when they clean swept Pakistan at home in 1988 and India in 1989.
*min. 3 match series only#WIvSL
— Israr Ahmed Hashmi (@IamIsrarHashmi) March 14, 2021
West Indies win by five wickets with nine balls to spare 👏
Fifties from @KieronPollard55 and @shaidhope, and a century from @DMBravo46 round out a 3-0 clean sweep.#WIvSL | https://t.co/BSsi3baS1F pic.twitter.com/qPJcOs5fVr
— ICC (@ICC) March 14, 2021
A well played century for Darren Bravo. His fourth ODI 100. He sweeps to the boundary to bring up the milestone. pic.twitter.com/tusOjVyF10
— Anmar Goodridge-Boyce (@anmargboyce) March 14, 2021
3 matches 3 batsman 3 centuries 3 man of the match winners
Darren Bravo
Shai Hope
Evin Lewis@windiescricket Blackwashed @OfficialSLC
Won the series by 3-0 #Cricket #WIvSL #WestIndies #SriLanka— Jatin Ⓥ☭📕 (@Jatinpanwar2411) March 14, 2021
West Indies ODI batting averages #WIvSL
Shai Hope avg 86 (1 100, 2 50s)
Darren Bravo 75 (1 100)
Kieron Pollard 68 (1 50)
Evin Lewis 60 (1 100, 1 50)
Nicholas Pooran 50
Jason Mohammed 21
Fabian Allen 15— Caribbean Cricket Podcast (@CaribCricket) March 14, 2021
Champions in Maroon! 🏆👏 pic.twitter.com/YqzjldDUHP
— Windies Cricket (@windiescricket) March 14, 2021
That's a wrap!
Windies win the 3rd ODI by 5-wickets and clinch the series 3-0 #WIvSL 🏏 pic.twitter.com/dDxDCTltcd— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) March 14, 2021
Great to see, great to watch. Back to back to back Series wins. Congratulations to all the fans, players and staff at @windiescricket. Enjoy that #winningfeeling https://t.co/CcqgupVPIu
— Dominic Warne (@Warno1973) March 14, 2021
A West Indies clean sweep sure is a good thing to see #WIvSL #Windies
— Tom Miller (@wtctestmatch) March 14, 2021
Dimuth needs to be more aggressive in his captaincy, and it is time to take out Thisara Perera & Dinesh Chandimal. Sri Lanka have badly missed K. Perera, D. De Silva & Avishka. Bowling is another weak area too, no standout bowlers!? only plus is Gunathilaka & Hasaranga. #WIvSL
— Ken (@KeenObz) March 14, 2021